Senior Lead, Perception Model Adaptation & Integration

Rivian; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 265,000 - 331,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Paid sick leave

Life insurance

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

401(k) Plan

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Job summary

Rivian is seeking a Perception Adaptation and Integration Lead to oversee the deployment of our core Perception system into new global markets, starting with adapting autonomous features for Europe. You will collaborate across the autonomy organization and manage a team of ICs to scale deployment across platforms and products.

This role emphasizes working with hardware and software constraints, internationalization, data-driven ML improvements, and cross-functional coordination in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Extensive experience leveraging data-driven approaches to improve machine learning models within perception or autonomy stacks.
• Solid software engineering fundamentals with proficiency in Python or C++.
• Deep expertise in core perception technologies, including ML, robotics, state estimation, and signal processing.
• Proven track record in design, development, and integration of hardware and software systems for autonomy.
• Experience managing engineering teams across software development, robotics, or ML domains.
• Understanding of full-stack perception systems, development tools, and validation pipelines.
• Ability to root-cause complex issues across the software stack and implement reliable, real-time solutions for safety-critical systems.
• Ability to lead technical initiatives across complex, multi-domain systems and coordinate with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with a collaborative, team-oriented mindset.

Responsibilities

• Define, document, and communicate the technical challenges and requirements for each new market expansion, factoring in regional feature variations, local regulations, and diverse hardware constraints.
• Contribute to the strategic roadmap for addressing internationalization and platform integration challenges.
• Execute software modifications and system improvements to meet deployment requirements, with a heavy emphasis on driving data-driven enhancements to machine learning models.
• Recruit, manage, and mentor individual contributors to support the team's expanding operational and technical scope.

Skills

Python

C++

Machine learning

Robotics

State estimation

Signal processing

Perception systems

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or related technical discipline

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 Perception Adaptation and Integration Lead will oversee the deployment of our core Perception system into new global markets, products, and hardware platforms. The immediate priority for this position is adapting autonomous features for the European market, followed by supporting any future market expansion and integration of our ADAS/Autonomy technology in other platforms and products. Serving as the primary interface for the Perception team, you will collaborate broadly with the autonomy organization and manage a team of individual contributors dedicated to these scaling efforts.

Responsibilities

• Define, document, and communicate the technical challenges and requirements for each new market expansion, factoring in regional feature variations, local regulations, and diverse hardware constraints.
• Contribute to the strategic roadmap for addressing internationalization and platform integration challenges.
• Execute software modifications and system improvements to meet deployment requirements, with a heavy emphasis on driving data-driven enhancements to machine learning models.
• Recruit, manage, and mentor individual contributors to support the team's expanding operational and technical scope.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Extensive experience leveraging data-driven approaches to improve machine learning models specifically within perception or autonomy stacks.
• Solid software engineering fundamentals with proficiency in Python or C++.
• Deep expertise in core perception technologies, including machine learning, robotics, state estimation, and signal processing.
• Proven track record in the design, development, and integration of hardware and software systems for autonomy.
• Demonstrated experience managing engineering teams across software development, robotics, or machine learning domains.
• Comprehensive understanding of full-stack perception systems, development tools, and validation pipelines.
• Strong capability to root-cause complex issues across the software stack and implement reliable, real-time solutions for safety-critical systems.
• Ability to lead technical initiatives across complex, multi-domain systems and effectively coordinate with diverse cross-functional stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with a collaborative, team-oriented mindset.

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $265,000 - $331,000 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 [e-mail].

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.