PLM Specialist
Gatik
Who we are
Gatik, the leader in autonomous middle-mile logistics, is revolutionizing the B2B supply chain with its autonomous transportation-as-a-service (ATaaS) solution and prioritizing safe, consistent deliveries while streamlining freight movement by reducing congestion. The company focuses on short-haul, B2B logistics for Fortune 500 retailers and in 2021 launched the world’s first fully driverless commercial transportation service with Walmart. Gatik's Class 3-7 autonomous trucks are commercially deployed across major markets, including Texas, Arkansas, and Ontario, Canada, driving innovation in freight transportation.
The company's proprietary Level 4 autonomous technology, Gatik Carrier™, is custom-built to transport freight safely and efficiently between pick-up and drop-off locations on the middle mile. With robust capabilities in both highway and urban environments, Gatik Carrier™ serves as an all-encompassing solution that integrates advanced software and hardware powering the fleet, facilitating effortless integration into customers' logistics operations.
About the role
Gatik is looking for a seasoned Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Specialist to lead the development, deployment, and governance of our product data infrastructure. This highly cross-functional role sits at the intersection of engineering, operations, and IT, and is critical to building scalable, reliable systems that support the full hardware development lifecycle - from concept through end-of-life.
The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of PLM systems (Solidworks PDM, OpenBOM, etc), cross-functional stakeholder management, and a passion for building reliable, efficient, and scalable product infrastructure in fast-moving environments. You will serve as the operational backbone of engineering data governance, guiding both internal and external teams to deliver consistent product data, change control processes, and systems integrations across PLM, PDM, and ERP platforms.
This role is onsite at our Mountain View, CA office!What you'll do
- Define, lead, and continuously evolve the PLM vision, roadmap, and implementation plan to support product scalability and reliability.
- Manage and optimize PLM/PDM systems, ensuring smooth integration with CAD, ERP, MES, and inventory platforms.
- Work closely with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, IT, and vendors to ensure accurate and efficient product data flow.
- Own the change control process, including ECOs, part releases, and documentation standards.
- Design and automate workflow processes such as part approvals and change reviews for consistency and traceability.
- Promote consistent PLM adoption through training, documentation, and best practices.
- Oversee system architecture, data quality, user access, and security in collaboration with IT.
- Drive continuous improvement to streamline workflows, reduce cycle times, and improve data accuracy.
- Coordinate with external PLM and CAD vendors for support, updates, and contract management.
What we're looking for
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, business administration or related field (Master’s preferred).
- 7+ years of experience managing PLM systems and strategy, ideally in hardware, robotics, aerospace, AV, or telecom.
- Deep expertise with PLM/PDM tools like Windchill, Solidworks PDM, OpenBOM, Enovia, or Agile PLM.
- Strong background integrating PLM with ERP (Oracle, SAP) and MES systems (e.g., ION, Apriso).
- Skills with common workplace software (Word, Excel, Smart Sheets, Tableau, etc) with the ability to create and maintain metrics.
- Experience building and managing part numbering systems, BOMs, and drawing standards.
- Skilled in change management processes, from early prototypes through production.
- Led large data migrations or PLM system transitions (e.g., Arena to Windchill).
- Excellent communicator with strong cross-functional collaboration and training skills.
- Strong project and stakeholder management with a systems-thinking mindset.
- Proactive, organized, and passionate about improving engineering infrastructure and workflows.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting autonomous vehicles, robotics, or advanced manufacturing programs.
- CAD administration or liaison experience across platforms like Solidworks, Catia, or NX.
- Experience working in fast-paced, scaling startup environments.
- Hands-on experience with SaaS-based PLM/PDM systems and multi-platform access support (Mac/Windows).
More about Gatik
Founded in 2017 by experts in autonomous vehicle technology, Gatik has rapidly expanded its presence to Mountain View, Dallas-Fort Worth, Arkansas, and Toronto. As the first and only company to achieve fully driverless middle-mile commercial deliveries, Gatik holds a unique and defensible position in the AV industry, with a clear trajectory toward sustainable growth and profitability.
We have delivered complete, proprietary AV technology - an integration of software and hardware - to enable earlier successes for our clients in constrained Level 4 autonomy. By choosing the middle mile – with defined point-to-point delivery, we have simplified some of the more complex AV challenges, enabling us to achieve full autonomy ahead of competitors. Given extensive knowledge of Gatik’s well-defined, fixed route ODDs and hybrid architecture, we are able to hyper-optimize our models with exponentially less data, establish gate-keeping mechanisms to maintain explainability, and ensure continued safety of the system for unmanned operations.
Visit us at Gatik for more company information and Careers at Gatik for more open roles.
Notable News
- Forbes: Forget robotaxis. Upstart Gatik sees middle-mile deliveries as the path to profitable AVs
- Tech Brew: Gatik AI exec unpacks the regulations that could shape the AV industry
- Business Wire: Gatik Paves the Way for Safe Driverless Operations (‘Freight-Only’) at Scale with Industry-First Third-Party Safety Assessment Framework
- Auto Futures: Autonomous Trucking Group Gatik Secures Investment From NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS
- Automotive News: Gatik foresees hundreds of self-driving trucks on road soon, and that's just the beginning
- Forbes: Isuzu And Gatik Go All In To Scale Up Driverless Freight Services
- Bloomberg: Autonomous Vehicle Startup Takes Off by Picking Off Easier Routes
- Reuters: Driverless vehicles on limited routes bump along despite US robotaxi scrutiny
Taking care of our team
At Gatik, we connect people of extraordinary talent and experience to an opportunity to create a more resilient supply chain and contribute to our environment’s sustainability. We are diverse in our backgrounds and perspectives yet united by a bold vision and shared commitment to our values. Our culture emphasizes the importance of collaboration, respect and agility.
We at Gatik strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone feels they have opportunities to succeed and grow because we know that together we can do great things. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse team. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status or any legally protected status.