Specialist, Launch Management Engineer - Paint Shop

Here at Scout Motors, we're carrying forward the heritage of one of the most iconic American vehicles in history. A vehicle dating back to 1960. One that forged the path for future generations of rugged SUVs and trucks and will do so once again. But Scout is more than just a brand, it’s a legacy steeped in a culture of exploration, caretaking, and hard work. The Scout brand is all about respect. Respect for the past and the future by taking an iconic American brand that hasn’t been around for a while, electrifying it, digitizing it, and loading it with American innovation. Respect for communities by creating a company that stands for its people and its customers. Respect for both work and play, with vehicles that are equally at home at a camp site, a job site, or on a Tuesday commute. And respect for our customers by developing two powertrains that meet their requirements — an all-electric powertrain as well as the Harvester™ range extender powertrain which includes a built-in gas-powered generator with an estimated 500 miles of combined range. At Scout Motors, we empower our talented, inclusive, and entrepreneurial teams to innovate. What makes a Scout employee? Someone who is a visionary and a leader, who seeks new paths and shares lessons learned. A knowledgeable doer who collaborates across the company to build better. A go-getter with unrivaled passion. Join us at Scout Motors and be part of shaping the future of transportation. If you're ready to drive change and make history, apply now! What you’ll do As a Specialist, Launch Management – Paint at Scout Motors, you will coordinate assigned paint-shop launch activities from pre-series builds through production ramp-up. You will apply specialized knowledge of paint manufacturing and launch processes to evaluate readiness, resolve issues, maintain accurate launch information, and recommend corrective actions. This is an individual contributor role. You will exercise judgment within established launch objectives, standards, and approved plans, adapting proven approaches to address varied technicus and coordination challenges. Your manager will establish priorities and review work at critical milestones. Decisions involving staffing, budget approval, launch commitments, or changes outside your assigned authority will be escalated to the responsible leader. Become part of an iconic brand that is set to revolutionize the electric pick-up truck & rugged SUV marketplace by achieving the following: Paint-Shop Launch Readiness • Coordinate assigned paint-shop launch deliverables, including equipment and process readiness, pre-series build preparation, open issues, and production ramp-up activities. • Evaluate readiness against established milestones and acceptance criteria; identify gaps and recommend actions to the responsible owners. • Represent assigned paint-shop launch topics in cross-functional meetings and communicate requirements, dependencies, and risks. Issue Resolution and Continuous Improvement • Analyze launch and production data to identify defects, process variation, readiness gaps, and recurring issues. • Apply structured problem-solving methods, relevant precedent, and specialized paint-process knowledge to determine appropriate corrective actions. • Coordinate implementation with accountable technical and operational owners, track progress, and verify documented results. • Escalate unresolved issues or proposed changes that exceed established authority or could affect safety, quality, cost, or launch timing. Schedule and Action Tracking • Maintain detailed schedules, milestone trackers, and action logs for assigned paint-shop launch activities. • Confirm action owners, deadlines, dependencies, and closure evidence with cross-functional partners. • Identify missed commitments and schedule risks early; recommend recovery actions and escalate decisions requiring leadership support. Cross-Functional Coordination • Partner with Paint Production, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Logistics, Finance, and other relevant teams to resolve launch dependencies. • Facilitate working sessions on assigned topics, document decisions, and follow up on agreed actions. • Explain technical issues and recommendations clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences, including senior stakeholders. Launch Reporting and Documentation • Collect, validate, and maintain technical information, readiness evidence, build findings, and change records. • Prepare concise status reports and presentations covering milestones, open issues, risks, corrective actions, and decisions needed. • Maintain traceable documentation in approved project, reporting, and change-management systems. Cost Monitoring • Track cost information and budget variances for assigned launch activities in collaboration with Finance and the responsible budget owner. • Identify potential cost impacts and provide supporting analysis and recommendations. • Support forecasts and reporting without independent authority to approve budgets, spending, or financial commitments. Start-Up and Ramp-Up Support • Coordinate assigned activities within the approved paint-shop start-up organization and launch plan. • Maintain communication routines, responsibility trackers, and handoffs between participating teams. • Identify resource constraints and recommend support needs to management; staffing selection and resource allocation remain leadership responsibilities. Knowledge Transfer • Document lessons learned and share relevant paint-process and launch-management knowledge with colleagues. • Develop work aids and contribute technical content to training materials in partnership with process owners and training teams. • Track assigned training-readiness actions against launch milestones and escalate gaps. Location & Travel Expectations: • This role will be based out of the Scout Motors location in Blythewood, South Carolina. • This role requires 4-5 days per week in the office, with regular in-person meetings and events. • Applicants should expect that the role will require the ability to convene with Scout colleagues in person and travel to participate in events on behalf of the company from time to time. What you’ll bring We expect all Scout employees to have integrity, curiosity, resourcefulness, and strive to exhibit a positive attitude, as well as a growth mindset. You’ll be comfortable with change and flexible in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. You’ll take a collaborative approach to achieve ambitious goals. Here's what else you'll bring: • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Production Management, Business, or a related field. An equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. • Experience: At least four years of relevant experience in automotive manufacturing, paint-shop operations, manufacturing engineering, or technical launch coordination, including practical experience with paint-shop processes. • Paint-process knowledge: Working knowledge of automotive surface preparation, coating application, curing, finish inspection, and paint-defect identification, with a demonstrated understanding of how process performance affects vehicle quality and launch readiness. • Launch capability: Experience supporting pre-series builds, readiness reviews, production ramp-up, milestone tracking, and technical change coordination. • Specialized problem-solving: Ability to evaluate identifiable technical and operational factors, assess unusual circumstances, adapt established methods, and resolve a broad range of issues within the assigned specialty. • Analytical skills: Ability to validate data, identify trends, assess readiness and schedule impacts, and translate findings into practical recommendations. • Coordination and communication: Ability to build productive cross-functional relations