Sr. Staff Technical Specialist - Body Structures

Rivian; Palo Alto, Irvine (CA, CA); On-site; USD 176,200 - 233,530; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid vacation

401(k) Plan

Job summary

A leading electric vehicle manufacturer in California is seeking a Technical Specialist for Body Structures to lead engineering design and development for automotive body systems. The role requires 11-15+ years of experience in the automotive domain, overseeing multiple projects, and mentoring engineers. Responsibilities include guiding design reviews, ensuring best practices, and constructing technical roadmaps for effective product development. Emphasis is on collaboration and innovation to protect our adventurous spirit and commitment to sustainability.

Qualifications

• 11-15+ years of experience in automotive design and development.
• Experience leading multiple body developments from cradle to grave.
• Deep understanding of body structures and related engineering principles.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and teach engineers with guidance rooted in first principles.
• Lead technical design reviews and ensure best practices.
• Construct technical roadmap and define BIW architecture.

Skills

Automotive design

Body structures engineering

Systems approach to design

Design for manufacturability

Education

M.S. degree in mechanical engineering

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

As our Technical Specialist for Body Structures, you will function as the subject matter expert for the BIW commodity by driving technical solutions across multiple projects and functions.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and teach our engineers by providing thoughtful critique and guidance grounded in first principles
• Lead technical design reviews through forward‑looking CAD reviews
• Understand new technologies, the industry state‑of‑the‑art and competitive trends through benchmarking
• Guarantee best practices are implemented across the BIW commodity and support the delivery of cost, weight, INV and functional attributes
• Construct our technical roadmap and communicate throughout the organization
• Set BIW architecture including clear targets for system and part specifications
• Responsible for validity and upkeep of all design standards and DFMEA within the commodity

Qualifications

• 11‑15+ years of experience in the automotive design and development process, system requirements, and general engineering best practices around body structures (stamping, casting, extrusion, multi‑material joining, CAE, etc)
• Past experience leading the design of multiple body developments from cradle to grave
• A systems approach to design and development with an appreciation for component, subsystem and full system validation and verification
• A deep understanding of your commodity (including first principle physics) and the tradeoffs among design, package, function, production build, and customer experience involved with all interfacing systems
• An awareness of design for manufacturability, service, reliability and sustainability
• An eagerness to work collaboratively and cross‑functionally in a dynamic environment where you are part of a team
• An M.S. degree in mechanical engineering or relevant equivalent experience

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $176,200 - $233,530 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.