Autonomy Vehicle Operator & Training Lead

Rivian Automotive; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 88,993,000 - 98,912,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Paid sick leave

Insurance benefits

401(k) Plan

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Job summary

Rivian Automotive is seeking a Vehicle Operator Specialist to support testing, safety validation, and ground operations for Autonomy Systems Validation. You will train and coach operators, oversee vehicle prep and data offloading, and serve as on-shift floor lead and driver trainer.

This role requires hands-on driving of prototype vehicles and close collaboration with engineering teams. The position emphasizes safety, strong communication, and the ability to work 1st shift (6:00a - 2:30p) in

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional automotive driving, autonomous vehicle testing, or fleet operations with coaching/mentoring experience.
• Excellent interpersonal, coaching, and communication skills; ability to give clear feedback.
• Ability to drive or monitor autonomous systems 6–8 hours daily in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead driver training and mentorship on-shift; develop onboarding programs.
• Coach operators on disengagement protocols, defensive driving, and test procedures.
• Oversee vehicle prep, ground support, data offloading, and shift handovers.
• Operate prototype test vehicles in autonomous, semi-autonomous, and manual modes.
• Maintain safety and logging, identify issues, and document incidents for engineering.

Skills

Autonomous driving

Coaching & mentoring

Safety awareness

Communication

Operational excellence

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Rivian Automotive is seeking a Vehicle Operator Specialist to support testing, safety validation, and ground operations for Autonomy Systems Validation. You will train and coach operators, oversee vehicle prep and data offloading, and serve as on-shift floor lead and driver trainer.

This role requires hands-on driving of prototype vehicles and close collaboration with engineering teams. The position emphasizes safety, strong communication, and the ability to work 1st shift (6:00a - 2:30p) in