Reliability Engineer

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies seeks a Design-for-Reliability (DfR) Engineer to shape the next generation of low‑voltage ECUs. You will drive reliability from concept to production, guiding hardware design and architecture with a focus on failure modes and mitigation strategies.

Responsibilities include developing validation plans, leading root‑cause investigations, auditing manufacturers, and translating fleet data into design standards for future ECU programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent.
• Strong background in PCBA, electronics, or control systems with failure modes and reliability specs.
• FMEA experience (DFMEA/PFMEA) and leading cross-functional teams.
• Experience with Python programming.
• Familiarity with reliability tools (JMP, ReliaSoft) and Weibull analysis.
• Experience with accelerated-life testing and failure analysis methods.

Responsibilities

• Drive product reliability for low‑voltage electronics from concept through production.
• Serve as the primary DfR expert for hardware design and architecture teams.
• Develop validation strategies and reliability specs, including accelerated testing.
• Lead root-cause investigations with internal teams, suppliers, and labs.
• Audit Contract Manufacturers to ensure DFMEA/PFMEA adherence.
• Analyze fleet/field data to inform ECU design standards.

Skills

DfR Engineering

Reliability analysis

Python

Statistical software

DFMEA/PFMEA

Weibull analysis

Failure analysis

Education

Bachelor of Science in engineering

Tools

JMP

ReliaSoft

X-Ray

Job description

About Us

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

Role Summary

As a reliability engineer for the RivianVW joint venture, you will play a key role in developing the next generation of low-voltage electric architectures. You will provide guidance on upcoming ECU designs to ensure they meet vehicle mission and reliability targets. If one of your first instincts when looking at a complex electronic design is “what are the ways this thing can fail, and how do we make it better?”, this role is built for you.

Responsibilities

• As a Design-for-Reliability (DfR) Engineer for low-voltage electronics, you will drive product reliability for vehicle control, connected car, and self-driving systems from concept through production.

• Serve as the primary DfR expert for hardware design and architecture teams, establishing design guidelines, identifying electronic failure modes, and defining standard countermeasures.

• Develop validation strategies, physics-of-failure-based reliability specifications, and accelerated testing methods to expand reliability margins and stress design boundaries.

• Lead root-cause failure investigations using first-principles thinking, collaborating with internal engineering teams, suppliers, and failure analysis laboratories to define and verify corrective actions.

• Audit Contract Manufacturers on-site during development phases to ensure DFMEA and PFMEA recommendations are properly implemented.

• Analyze fleet and field data to proactively detect emerging risks, using insights to inform design standards for future Electronic Control Unit (ECU) programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in an engineering discipline or equivalent. Level of Role depends on experience and qualifications. A strong technical background is needed in the following areas:

• Technical understanding of PCBA, electronics, or control systems, including failure modes, reliability specification development, design guidelines, electronics themal management, and interconnects.

• Understanding of the FMEA process (DFMEA/PFMEA), with willingness to facilitate FMEAs and lead cross-functional teams.

• Working knowledge of a coding language, preferably Python.

• Working knowledge of statistical software for reliability, such as JMP or the ReliaSoft suite, including Weibull analysis.

• Understanding of Highly Accelerated Testing methods and the governing equations for different failure mechanisms; expertise in accelerated-life-test development methods a plus.

• Working knowledge of failure analysis techniques such as optical microscopy, SEM, CT, X-Ray, EDS, TDR.

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.

Payments are discretionary and not guaranteed; actual amounts depend on company results and the terms of the plan in effect, and require active employment at the time of payout. This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), subject to board approval and the terms of our equity incentive plans, including applicable vesting requirements.

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.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 [e-mail].

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.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, 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.

If you provide a mobile telephone number as part of your application or during the recruitment process, Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use that number to contact you via SMS text message for recruitment-related purposes, including scheduling, logistics, and status updates. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any text message you receive from us. Consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of applying for or being considered for employment.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information.

–