Staff Software Systems Engineer

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Performance bonus

Benefits package

Job summary

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is seeking a Staff Software Quality Engineer to own the software quality framework across vehicle programs. You will collaborate with software teams, domain architects, and program leadership to embed quality practices throughout the software lifecycle in a hands‑on role.

You will define standards for code coverage, static analysis, and release gates while driving adoption across a large, fast‑moving organization and delivering measurable quality

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• 6+ years of experience in software quality engineering, with demonstrated ownership of quality frameworks in a complex embedded or systems software environment.
• Hands‑on experience with static analysis tools and coding standards (e.g., MISRA C).
• Strong understanding of code coverage concepts and CI/CD pipeline integration for quality gate enforcement.
• Proven ability to define quality metrics, build dashboards, and communicate data‑driven insights to technical and executive audiences.
• Experience working across large cross‑functional organizations, with a track record of influencing without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the software quality framework for RV Tech, code coverage standards, static analysis policy, and release quality gates across vehicle programs.
• Lead the adoption and enforcement of static code analysis standards across firmware and software domains; define violation workflows.
• Define and drive code coverage standards for new code, including CI/CD integration and deviation handling.
• Partner with software leads, domain engineers, and program managers to translate quality requirements into actionable plans with milestones.
• Identify and surface quality risks early; own escalation paths and drive mitigation to protect schedules and product integrity.
• Collaborate with VWG/Rivian counterparts to align quality processes, tooling, and metrics across the joint venture.
• Champion quality as a shared discipline with documentation, guides, and training materials.

Skills

Software quality engineering

MISRA C

Static analysis

Code coverage

CI/CD integration

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS or MS in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering/Software Engineering

Tools

JAMA

Polarion

Databricks

Datadog

Grafana

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 Software Quality Engineer, you will own the definition, implementation, and continuous improvement of RV Tech’s software quality framework across vehicle programs. You will work at the intersection of engineering rigor and cross-functional collaboration - partnering directly with software development teams, domain architects, and program leadership to embed quality practices into every stage of the software lifecycle. This is a hands‑on technical role that requires both the depth to define measurable quality standards and the influence to drive adoption across a large, fast‑moving organization.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the software quality framework for RV Tech, code coverage standards, static analysis policy, and release quality gates, ensuring consistent application across Rivian and VWG vehicle programs.

• Lead the adoption and enforcement of static code analysis standards across firmware and software domains; define violation justification workflows and manage burndown plans aligned to program milestones.

• Define and drive code coverage standards for newly developed code, including CI/CD pipeline integration, threshold enforcement policy, and deviation handling.

• Partner with software development leads, domain engineers, and program managers to translate quality requirements into actionable engineering plans with clear milestones and accountability.

• Identify and surface quality risks early; own escalation paths and drive mitigation strategies that protect program schedules and product integrity.

• Collaborate with VWG/Rivian counterparts to align quality processes, tooling, and metrics across the joint venture, ensuring a unified standard for software‑defined vehicle delivery.

• Champion quality as a shared engineering discipline - develop documentation, how‑to guides, and training materials that build team‑wide capability and reduce dependency on centralized QA.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a closely related technical field.

• 6+ years of experience in software quality engineering, with demonstrated ownership of quality frameworks in a complex embedded or systems software environment.

• Hands‑on experience with static analysis tools and coding standards (e.g., MISRA C).

• Strong understanding of code coverage concepts and CI/CD pipeline integration for quality gate enforcement.

• Proven ability to define quality metrics, build dashboards, and communicate data‑driven insights to technical and executive audiences.

• Experience working across large cross‑functional organizations, with a track record of influencing without direct authority.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the automotive industry, with familiarity with vehicle software development processes and program milestones (e.g., FM gates, SOP).

• Knowledge of functional safety standards (ISO 26262) and their implications for software testing and structural coverage requirements.

• Familiarity with cybersecurity (R155/CSMS) or OTA/software update management (R156/SUMS) regulatory frameworks.

• Experience with requirements management and traceability tools (e.g., JAMA, Polarion).

• Proficiency with data pipeline and dashboard tooling (e.g., Databricks, Datadog, Grafana) for centralized quality reporting.

• Prior experience in a joint venture or multi‑stakeholder environment, with demonstrated ability to align teams across organizational boundaries.

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.

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.

If you provide a mobile telephone number as part of your application or during the recruitment process, 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.