Senior Cost Engineer - Electrical

Rivian; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 108,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Rivian in Irvine, California is seeking a Senior Cost Engineer to own cost analysis for assigned commodities and influence sourcing decisions. You will integrate data from PLM, CATIA, aPriori, and Costdata to build defensible estimates and support design trade-offs.

The role emphasizes presenting data-driven business cases, improving cost-modeling processes, and driving opportunities in cross-functional forums. Onsite role reporting to the Electrical Cost Engineering Manager in Irvine.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field and 3+ years of relevant experience.
• Understands how cost analysis informs sourcing decisions, design trade-offs, and supplier negotiations.
• Experience with PCBAs, electromechanical assemblies, sensors, switches, thermal control and ECUs.

Responsibilities

• Independently applies manufacturing principles and maintains knowledge of cost drivers.
• Builds and presents compelling business cases to influence cost outcomes.
• Demonstrates advanced usage of cost modeling tools and data integration.
• Advises stakeholders and uses data-driven insights to influence peers.
• Manages day-to-day responsibilities and prioritizes urgent projects.

Skills

Cost analysis

Data-driven insights

aPriori/Costdata

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

aPriori

Costdata

PLM

CATIA

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 Rivian Supply Chain team is looking for highly motivated technical professionals to drive value through expert cost analysis. As a Senior Cost Engineer, you will serve as a key individual contributor responsible for independently managing the cost analysis of assigned commodities. You will integrate data from various sources to create defensible estimates that directly influence sourcing decisions, design trade-offs, and supplier negotiations.

In this role, you will drive results by building compelling business cases that persuade stakeholders to adopt cost-optimized strategies. You are expected to demonstrate advanced proficiency in cost-modeling tools and take ownership of improving team processes. This role offers the opportunity to influence decision-making by presenting logical, data-driven insights in cross-functional forums.

This position is based onsite in Irvine and reports to the Electrical Cost Engineering Manager.

Responsibilities

• Knowledge Base: Independently applies manufacturing principles and maintains a working knowledge of material properties, key manufacturing processes, and cost drivers without frequent guidance.
• Presentation & Storytelling: Builds and presents a compelling business case to explain component cost analysis and persuade stakeholders to use the output to generate financial opportunities.
• Technical Skills: Demonstrates advanced usage of aPriori and/or Costdata, autonomously modifying cost estimate process setups and options while leveraging the full toolchain (PLM, CATIA, etc.).
• Organizational Influence & Outreach: Advises outcomes to direct counterparts and uses data-driven insights to directly influence the work of peers.
• Direction: Manages day-to-day responsibilities and assigned projects with minimal guidance, identifying and managing personal priorities in urgent situations.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field and a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.
• Domain Expertise: Understands how their work informs sourcing decisions, design trade-offs, and supplier negotiations, providing foundational data-driven input to cross-functional teams.
• Commodity-Specific Experience:
  • PCBAs and Electromechanical Assemblies
    • Sensors
    • Switches
    • Thermal Control (cooling tubes, manifolds)
    • ECUs
• Technical Skills: Advanced user of various systems with the ability to conduct larger-scale gap analysis to identify focus areas and outliers.
• Communication: Confidently fields questions from peers and is learning to tailor their communication style to different audiences.
• Execution: Proactively communicates issues that have an impact outside of Cost Engineering, flagging risks and opportunities to the relevant teams.
• Operational Style: Consistently uses first principles to drive change and responds actively to feedback from senior team members to close skill gaps.
• Travel Requirements: Ability and willingness to travel as needed based on business needs, expected to average up to 10%.

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $107,800 - $134,800 for Irvine, 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 [e-mail].

Candidate Data Privacy and Technology

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) 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.

How We Use AI in Our Hiring Process: To ensure transparency, we want candidates to know that Rivian uses iCIMS Talent Cloud Artificial Intelligence (TCAI) and AI-enabled tools to assist with screening, reviewing, organizing and highlighting profiles and applications that match the key requirements for each role.

AI does not make hiring decisions: Qualified candidate applications are reviewed by a member of our team, and all decisions throughout the process are made by humans. We use AI to support efficiency and consistency, not to replace human judgment. We are committed to a fair, thoughtful, and equitable experience for every candidate.