Staff Electronic Design Engineer - Zonal ECU

Rivian VW Group; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Equity eligibility

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Rivian VW Group in Irvine, California, is seeking a Staff Electronic Design Engineer with extensive experience in electrical engineering to design and validate innovative battery management hardware. The ideal candidate will possess strong problem-solving skills and work collaboratively across teams.

This hybrid position offers a full-time opportunity to impact the development of next-generation electric vehicles. The role demands at least 8 years of experience in automotive hardware design, alongside relevant educational qualifications.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in electronic hardware design, preferably in the automotive industry.
• Strong foundation in EE fundamentals; experience with electromechanical systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full hardware design lifecycle from concept to production.
• Design and validate ECU low-voltage zonal control modules.
• Collaborate across teams including mechanical, software, and validation.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

Electronic Hardware Design

Problem-Solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Cadance

Altium

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Job description

About Us

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software‑defined vehicles around the world.

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

Role Summary

As a Staff Electronic Design Engineer, Zonal, you will play a key role in the development of cutting‑edge battery‑management and zonal hardware which serves as the backbone for power distribution and control functions in our next‑generation vehicles. We're looking for a hands‑on engineer with a solid foundation in electrical engineering, a passion for innovation, and the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment. Your contributions will directly influence the performance, safety, and efficiency of future software‑defined vehicles.

This role is a hybrid position.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full hardware design lifecycle - from concept and requirements definition to schematic capture, layout, validation, and production.
• Design, prototype, and validate robust ECU low‑voltage zonal control modules for automotive applications.
• Tackle power electronics challenges, including solid‑state circuit eFUSE design and distributed localize power , PMIC design, Power Sequence, Sleep states, MCU allocation.
• Ensure signal integrity and interface compatibility across PCBs, sensors, actuators, and communication buses (CAN, SPI, Ethernet, analog/digital I/O).
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with mechanical, thermal, software, vehicle dynamics, manufacturing, validation, and supply chain teams.
• Evaluate and integrate new components and technologies (e.g., microcontrollers, high‑side drivers, motor drivers), including working with suppliers to co‑develop custom solutions.
• Apply EMC best practices throughout design to ensure compliance and system robustness.
• Conduct root cause analysis, troubleshooting, and failure investigations on PCBAs and electronic subsystems.
• Support system integration and validation across build phases — Proto, EVT, DVT, and vehicle‑level testing.
• Ensure compliance with functional safety and regulatory standards (ISO 26262, FUSA, etc.).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in electronic hardware design, preferably in the automotive industry.
• Strong foundation in EE fundamentals; experience with electromechanical systems is a plus.
• Experience designing for automotive environments, including understanding of hardware/software development life cycles.
• Knowledge of Tier 1 supplier processes, manufacturing constraints, and automotive design standards.
• Familiarity with automotive EMC/EMI design is the best practices.
• Hands‑on experience with lab tools such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and similar.
• Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and component release workflows is a plus.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and a proactive mindset toward continuous improvement.
• Experience with Schematic Capture EDA such as Cadance and Altium

Total Rewards

Full‑time positions include base salary, eligibility for an annual performance bonus, and eligibility for equity.

In addition to base salary, Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies offers benefits tailored to the local market. For more information on the benefits available for full‑time employees, check out our Global Benefits Site.

External candidates can apply for this role through the Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies careers site https://rivianvw.tech/#careers. If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board.

Equal Opportunity

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. 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. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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) record keeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, 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.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use that number to contact you via SMS text message for recruitment‑related purposes, including scheduling, logistics, and status updates. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any text message you receive from us. Consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of applying for or being considered for employment.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information.