Senior Vehicle Safety Test & Validation Lead

Rivian; Plymouth (MI); On-site; USD 199,000 - 273,000; Full time

Job summary

Rivian is seeking a Senior Manager, Safety Test & Validation to lead Rivian’s Vehicle Safety Engineering test and validation team in Michigan. You will drive end-to-end testing strategy to meet global regulatory and consumer standards, oversee DVP creation and execution, and manage external lab partnerships.

The role requires extensive experience in vehicle safety, crashworthiness, and strong understanding of FMVSS, UNECE, Euro NCAP, and IIHS standards.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in vehicle safety, crashworthiness, and structural performance.
• Strong understanding of global safety standards (FMVSS/UNECE/Euro NCAP/IIHS).
• Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Participate in cross-functional strategy development to advance Rivian’s Vehicle Safety Engineering test and validation vision.
• Define, establish, and optimize vehicle- and component-level testing programs to validate performance against internal targets, global standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee program Design Verification Plan (DVP) development, execution, and milestone tracking.
• Influence internal and external functional groups, program management, and homologation teams to achieve seamless validation execution.
• Develop strategic partnerships with test labs and vendors; plan assets, timelines, and budget to meet commitments.
• Represent Rivian in regulatory discussions and vehicle rating/performance evaluations for the validation approach.
• Maintain internal standards, procedures, and instructions to ensure repeatable execution across test events.
• Implement knowledge transfer processes and cover plans so critical operations are not dependent on a single person.
• Oversee test setup, execution, and post-test assessment checkpoints with accountable owners.

Skills

Vehicle safety

Crashworthiness

CAE methodologies

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/Automotive Engineering

Tools

CAE software

Crash test planning tools

Job description

Rivian is seeking a Senior Manager, Safety Test & Validation to lead Rivian’s Vehicle Safety Engineering test and validation team in Michigan. You will drive end-to-end testing strategy to meet global regulatory and consumer standards, oversee DVP creation and execution, and manage external lab partnerships.

The role requires extensive experience in vehicle safety, crashworthiness, and strong understanding of FMVSS, UNECE, Euro NCAP, and IIHS standards.