Senior Vehicle Line Lead (Underbody/Upper Body)

Rivian Automotive; Tustin (CA); On-site; USD 196,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

Rivian is seeking a Sr. Staff VLM to lead a vehicle zone (Underbody & Tech or Upper Body & Functions), translating program goals into actionable execution plans and coordinating engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing to hit milestones.

You will partner with the Chief Engineer to drive cost-down initiatives, manage BOM, and ensure readiness from design through manufacturing while guiding cross-functional teams toward a clear product vision.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in automotive program management or engineering leadership.
• Ability to lead large cross-functional teams and a Single Point Owner.
• Deep understanding of automotive cost structures including piece price, tooling, and inbound logistics.
• Ability to drive technical decisions across multiple domains with cross-functional teams.
• High proficiency in the systems within your domain (Underbody/Tech or Upper Body/Func).
• Familiarity with vehicle autonomous systems and/or hardware.

Responsibilities

• CE Partnership & Execution: drive day-to-day execution across the zone toward milestones.
• Commercial & COGS Management: own BOM cost risks and lead cost-down initiatives.
• Sourcing & Supplier Integration: liaise with Global Supply Chain and align timing.
• Operational Readiness: manage Virtual Releases, DM1-5, and Manufacturing Readiness.
• Validation & Asset Coordination: plan, budget and track validation assets.
• Establishing Product Vision: translate business objectives into tangible product goals.
• Continuous Improvement: refine processes to accelerate progress and improve engagement.

Skills

Automotive program mgmt

Collaborative leadership

Financial acumen

Technical breadth

Zone expertise

Autonomous systems familiarity

Job description

Rivian is seeking a Sr. Staff VLM to lead a vehicle zone (Underbody & Tech or Upper Body & Functions), translating program goals into actionable execution plans and coordinating engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing to hit milestones.

You will partner with the Chief Engineer to drive cost-down initiatives, manage BOM, and ensure readiness from design through manufacturing while guiding cross-functional teams toward a clear product vision.