Sr. Manager Durability CAE

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

Job summary

Rivian in Southern California seeks a highly technical Senior Manager, Durability CAE to lead a multidisciplinary engineering team performing high-fidelity CAE across Explicit Dynamics and the Implicit Domain. You will be the technical anchor for virtual structural sign-offs ensuring world-class durability and safety long before a prototype is built.

The ideal candidate has a master-level background in FEA and a proven track record of scaling teams within an OEM or fast-growing EV environment,

Qualifications

• 10+ years in automotive CAE, with leadership experience
• Master-level or PhD preferred for senior role
• Proficiency in LS-DYNA, Abaqus, Nastran or OptiStruct
• Experience with BIW, chassis, and EV battery structures

Responsibilities

• Lead structural durability and fatigue sign-offs for BIW, chassis, frames, and EV battery structures
• Oversee full-vehicle explicit simulations and ensure numerical stability
• Drive next-gen CAE workflows, including AI/ML for automation
• Mentor CAE engineers and manage budgets and cross-functional collaboration

Skills

LS-DYNA

Abaqus

Nastran

OptiStruct

FEA

AI/ML in CAE

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical or Automotive Engineering

Master's or Ph.D. preferred

Tools

ANSA

HyperMesh

HyperView

Meta/Post

Job description

About Rivian

Rivian is 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

We are seeking a highly technical and experienced Senior Manager, Durability CAE to spearhead our structural simulation department. In this pivotal leadership role, you will direct a multidisciplinary engineering team performing high‑fidelity CAE across Explicit Dynamics (e.g., high‑energy chassis impacts, underbody strikes) and the Implicit Domain (e.g., static strength, fatigue, vibration). As the technical anchor for virtual structural sign‑offs, you will ensure our vehicle architectures achieve world‑class durability and safety standards long before the first physical prototype is built. The ideal candidate brings a “master‑level” background in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and a proven track record of scaling high‑performing teams within an OEM or high‑growth EV environment.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Strategic Oversight
  • Virtual Validation Authority: Lead the structural durability and fatigue sign‑offs for all critical systems, including Body‑in‑White (BIW), chassis, frames, and EV‑specific battery structures.
  • Advanced Simulation Management: Oversee complex, full‑vehicle explicit simulations—including sand dune impacts, rock scrapes, and lateral curb strikes—while ensuring numerical stability through rigorous analysis of energy plots and mass scaling.
  • Methodology Innovation: Drive the development of next‑generation CAE workflows, focusing on advanced material failure modeling, in‑house fatigue S‑Ncurve generation, and the integration of AI/Machine Learning for automation.
  • Test‑to‑Simulation Correlation: Lead correlation efforts using data from proving grounds and lab‑based test rigs to ensure virtual models achieve high‑fidelity replication of real‑world physics.
• Team Management & Organizational Growth
  • Mentorship & Directing: Lead and grow a large team of CAE engineers, providing deep technical coaching and defining professional development pathways.
  • Resource & Budget Strategy: Manage manpower allocation, project timelines, and software budgets to align CAE deliverables with aggressive vehicle program milestones.
  • Cross‑Functional Synergy: Partner closely with Design, Physical Testing, Materials, and Program teams to ensure structural integrity is prioritized during the earliest architectural phases.
  • Quality & Standards: Establish robust simulation and reporting standards to ensure all technical presentations provide clear, actionable design recommendations to executive stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Automotive Engineering (Master’s or Ph.D. strongly preferred).
• Experience: 10+ years in automotive CAE, including 3–5 years in a formal leadership or managerial role.
• Solver Mastery: Advanced proficiency in LS‑DYNA (Explicit) and Abaqus, Nastran, or OptiStruct (Implicit). Understanding of multi‑body dynamics and experience is a plus.
• Fatigue & Joining: Deep expertise in fatigue life prediction software (e.g., nCode DesignLife or FEMFAT) and the durability of metal joining methods.
• Software Stack: Expert‑level command of pre/post‑processing tools such as ANSA, HyperMesh, HyperView, or Meta/Post.
• Executive Presence: Ability to translate complex technical data into high‑level insights that drive rapid, multi‑domain design decisions.

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $196,000 – $245,000 for Southern 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. The employee’s position within the 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.

Benefits

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 paid vacation, paid sick leave, and a competitive portfolio of insurance benefits such as life, medical, dental, vision, short‑term disability, and long‑term disability insurance. Eligible employees may also participate in Rivian’s 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Full‑time coverage is effective on the first day of employment. Part‑time 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 tracking interactions with our recruiting system; carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; recordkeeping; ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law. Rivian may share your Candidate Personal Data with 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; Rivian affiliates; and 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.