Staff Electrical Systems Engineer

Role Summary

RV Tech — the Rivian and Volkswagen Group joint venture — builds the electrical and electronic foundation of a software-defined vehicle platform used by both partner OEMs. Our Electrical Systems Hardware Engineering group owns the vehicle's electrical system architecture and domain definition.

As a Staff engineer, you own the architecture and integration of several electrical domains on US-based programs, covering both electrical system definition and low-voltage power distribution.

Responsibilities

• Own the electrical architecture for your assigned domains: low- and high-voltage (LV/HV) power distribution, harness strategy, and electrical interface definitions
• Define zonal topology inputs — zonal ECU count and placement — and allocate devices and device I/O to zonal controllers
• Define LV power architecture: supply strategy across batteries, DC-DC converters, and eFuses; bus management, power modes, and fault handling
• Develop mission profiles and accessory power requirements, including load budgets and quiescent current targets
• Decompose vehicle- and system-level specifications into subsystem, component, and zonal interface requirements with full traceability
• Develop and negotiate requirements with component suppliers and internal component owners
• Define hardware-driven software requirements for embedded software teams
• Review schematics for conformance to the defined architecture
• Develop and execute validation plans across unit, software-in-the-loop (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and vehicle-level testing
• Lead root cause analysis and resolution of electrical issues through development and validation
• Evaluate and recommend next-generation technologies, and support the R&D needed to mature them
• Align electrical system boundaries with vehicle systems and software teams, and confirm designs scale across both Rivian and Volkswagen Group programs

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• ~8+ years in electrical systems engineering on automotive or comparable complex embedded products
• Ownership of an electrical system or domain through a full development cycle
• Expertise in LV/HV power systems, electrical distribution, and wiring harness design
• Requirements decomposition, interface definition, and validation coverage
• Experience developing and negotiating technical requirements with component suppliers
• Working knowledge of vehicle networks (CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, Automotive Ethernet)
• Familiarity with ISO 26262 functional safety as applied to electrical systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Zonal or centralized E/E architecture experience on a production program
• eFuse or solid-state power distribution, DC-DC converter sizing, or 12V/48V bus design
• Power mode and sleep/wake state machine specification
• Circuit simulation for load, transient, and fault analysis (SPICE, Saber, or equivalent)
• Electrical design tooling
• MS in Electrical Engineering or a related field

Total Rewards

We build the exceptional — and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to a competitive base salary, full-time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program.

In addition to our compensation programs, we invest in our people with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, wellbeing, and financial future for full-time employees — including health coverage, retirement savings, time off, and family planning programs. Offerings vary by country. Learn more about our global benefit programs.

Equal Opportunity

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies” may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) record keeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.