Manager, Battery Cell Safety

Rivian; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 138,000 - 172,000; Full time

Job summary

Rivian is seeking a Manager, Battery Cell Safety in California to lead cell safety standards for current and next‑generation battery platforms. You will define, validate, and manage safety requirements and collaborate with engineering, validation, and regulatory teams.

The role requires deep expertise in Li‑ion failure mechanisms, abuse testing, and regulatory requirements, with a strong drive to advance safety in high‑energy storage systems.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical or related field.
• Minimum 8 years in the battery industry, with at least 4 years on Li‑ion cell safety, failure analysis and abuse testing.
• Proven experience defining safety requirements for automotive/high‑energy storage applications.
• Management experience leading a technical team.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain cell safety specs and methodologies, including abuse testing requirements.
• Advocate for internal Rivian cell safety standards beyond minimum regulatory requirements.
• Integrate cell safety inputs throughout the cell development cycle to mass production.
• Oversee and execute cell‑level abuse testing programs with internal and external labs.
• Develop methods for Thermal Runaway propagation characterization and mitigation.
• Analyze test data to identify failure modes and drive design improvements.
• Collaborate with Cell Development to influence intrinsic cell safety in designs.
• Coordinate with Systems and Analysis to align cell safety with ES System safety goals.
• Work with Pack Engineering to ensure safety inputs are reflected in pack/module design.
• Partner with Test and Validation to uphold lab best practices.
• Liaise with Regulatory and Homologation for global safety compliance.

Skills

Li‑ion safety

Battery safety standards

Data analysis tools

Technical communication

Education

Master’s or PhD in relevant engineering fields

8+ years battery industry experience

Automotive/high-energy storage experience

Technical leadership experience

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Job description

About Rivian

Rivianis on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. This goes for the emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles we build, and the curious, courageous souls we seek to attract.As a company, we constantly challenge what’s possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations.

Role Summary

The Manager, Battery Cell Safety will be responsible for defining, validating, and managing all cell safety requirements for Rivian's current and next-generation battery platforms. This role requires deep technical expertise in lithium-ion cell failure mechanisms, abuse testing, and regulatory requirements, as well as a strong interest and curiosity in how to advance the state of the art in battery cell abuse tolerance and safety.The successful candidate will work closely with Systems Engineering, Pack Design, Pack Validation, Manufacturing Engineering, and Pack Advanced Materials teams to ensure our battery systems meet the highest standards for safety and reliability.

Responsibilities

This role involves the specification and validation of cell safety standards in collaboration with the rest of the Energy Storage System organization. Specific responsibilities include:

• Cell Safety Specification and Standards:Define and maintain comprehensive cell safety specifications and methodologies, including abuse testing requirements (e.g., thermal runaway, hotbox, accelerating rate calorimetry, deformation, nail penetration, overcharge, crush, etc.).
• Establish and advocate for internal Rivian cell safety standards that exceed minimum industry and regulatory requirements and support pack-level safety goals.
• Integrate cell safety requirements into all stages of the cell development cycle, from selection and qualification through to mass production.
• Validation and Testing:Oversee and execute cell-level abuse testing programs, both internally and with external lab partners.
• Develop and implement methods for Thermal Runaway Propagation characterization and mitigation strategies.
• Analyze test data to identify failure modes, determine root causes, and drive design and manufacturing improvements.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration:Work directly with the Cell Development team to influence cell design for intrinsic safety.
• Collaborate with systems and analysis teams to integrate cell safety into cohesive Energy Storage System safety goals.
• Partner with Pack Engineering to ensure cell-level safety inputs are correctly integrated into the battery pack and module design.
• Collaborate with Test and Validation teams to ensure laboratory best practices and operational excellence.
• Liaise with Regulatory and Homologation teams to ensure compliance with global safety standards.

Process and Documentation

• Document all safety requirements, test plans, and validation reports.
• Provide technical input into the Cell Safety DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) process.
• Mentor and lead a team of cell safety engineers.

Qualifications Education

• Master ʼ s or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience:Minimum of 8 years of experience in the battery industry, with at least 4 years focused specifically on Li-ion cell safety, failure analysis, and abuse testing.
• Proven experience in defining safety requirements for automotive or high-energy storage applications.
• Management experience leading a technical team.

Skills

• Expert‑level knowledge of Li-ion cell design, thermal abuse behavior, and failure progression.
• Strong understanding of battery regulatory and safety standards.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools and simulation software (e.g., MATLAB, Python).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical information to senior leadership.

Nice to have

• Deep understanding of lithium ion battery mechanical design and manufacturing methods.
• Fluency in dimensional variation analysis as it pertains to safety critical design elements of the cell.
• Familiarity with battery pack manufacturing processes and how they impact the mechanical design of a cell.
• Experience with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing practices.

Pay Disclosure

• The salary range for this role is USD 137,800 - 172,200 for California based applicants. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, shift, and organizational needs.
• The successful candidate may be eligible for annual performance bonus and equity awards.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26, including but not limited to paid vacation, paid sick leave, and a competitive portfolio of insurance benefits including life, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance to eligible employees. You may also have the opportunity to participate in Rivian’s 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program if you meet certain eligibility requirements. Full-time employee coverage is effective on their first day of employment. Part-time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment. More information about benefits is available at rivianbenefits.com.

Equal Opportunity

Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. 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.Rivian is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at .

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian 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 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) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law. Rivian may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian affiliates; and (iii) Rivian’s service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services. Rivian may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions. Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.