Senior Thermal Systems Engineer – Front-End & Underhood

Rivian Automotive; Tustin (CA); On-site; USD 154,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) Plan

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Job summary

Rivian is seeking a Staff Thermal Attributes Engineer in California to own underhood thermal performance and AGS strategy. You will drive front-end openings, duct optimization, sealing, and ORFM, ensuring targets are met across vehicle programs.

You will lead cross-functional teams in Design Studio, Aerodynamics, Thermal, and Controls, linking thermal and charging performance to airflow targets and validation through DVPs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in engineering with a thermal science focus.
• 10+ years in automotive thermal attributes at OEM or Tier-1.
• Expert-level knowledge of AGS, airflow duct and ORFM.
• Hands-on automotive airflow measurement experience.
• CFD software experience and 1D simulation tools.
• Experience with GT Suite and MATLAB/Simulink.
• HVAC knowledge and related systems are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead vehicle-level thermal benchmark activities (front-end, AGS, airflow).
• Align front-end and underhood thermal performance with cross‑functional teams.
• Set front-end airflow targets to meet charging and performance goals.
• Develop coherent vehicle-level AGS strategies with stakeholders.
• Own underhood thermal DVPs for various cases and testing.
• Analyze data from vehicle-level testing (ORFM airflow, temperature).
• Collaborate on 3D CFD and 1D thermal simulations to improve accuracy.
• Support wind tunnel testing and heat exchanger performance.

Skills

Advanced thermal science

Automotive thermal attributes

AGS and ORFM expertise

Automotive airflow measurement

CFD and 1D simulation

GT Suite / Matlab-Simulink

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Engineering (thermal)

Tools

Element

Powerflow

StarCCM+

Fluent

GT Suite

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

Rivian is seeking a Staff Thermal Attributes Engineer in California to own underhood thermal performance and AGS strategy. You will drive front-end openings, duct optimization, sealing, and ORFM, ensuring targets are met across vehicle programs.

You will lead cross-functional teams in Design Studio, Aerodynamics, Thermal, and Controls, linking thermal and charging performance to airflow targets and validation through DVPs.