Staff Technical Program Manager, Vehicle Validation

Rivian; Irvine, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 154,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan

Job summary

Rivian is seeking a Staff Technical Program Manager, Vehicle Validation to lead the vehicle-level validation roadmap from concept through launch. You will coordinate DVPs, validation assets and build plans, aligning cross-functional timing and readiness.

You will drive governance, establish dashboards, identify risks, and continuously improve validation methods. Ideal candidates have 8+ years in automotive programs, strong tooling skills (Jira, Confluence, Jama), and a track record of

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
• 8+ years of experience in automotive or complex electro-mechanical products, including TPM, systems engineering, validation or similar roles.
• Strong understanding of vehicle development milestones and how DVPs/DFMEAs/support validation and launch decisions.
• Experience planning and orchestrating validation at vehicle or major subsystem level (DVP creation, asset planning, schedule integration).

Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve the integrated vehicle validation roadmap from concept through engineering sign-off.
• Translate DFMEA, NUDD, requirements into an integrated vehicle validation strategy across validation pillars.
• Build and maintain the integrated vehicle validation plan with tests, vehicles, maturity, and configurations.
• Lead cross-functional alignment across engineering, program, test, manufacturing, launch, service, quality and other partners.
• Re-plan quickly when content, software, build timing, or readiness changes create risk.
• Establish dashboards and metrics, audit DVP and SDVP coverage, and provide data-backed updates.
• Proactively identify gaps and risks, drive mitigation and issue closure, feeding findings back into requirements and DFMEAs.
• Apply validation governance and continuous improvement across methods and tools.

Skills

Influence across functions

Cross-functional leadership

Data-driven decisions

Program management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Jama

Dashboards

Data systems

Job description

About Rivian

Rivianis 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

Vehicle Validation at Rivian ensures every product delivers exceptional function, quality, reliability, and real-world performance. We perform verification and validation against data-driven requirements that reflect how our customers use our vehicles, connecting DFMEAs, requirements, and validation plans into a cohesive, decision-oriented process.

As a Staff Technical Program Manager, Vehicle Validation, you will lead the vehicle-level validation roadmap across programs from concept through launch and beyond. You will provide the program management spine that aligns vehicle-level DVPs, validation assets and build plans, cross-functional timing, risk, and readiness, while raising the bar on how Rivian plans, governs, and improves validation across the function.

Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve the integrated vehicle validation roadmap from concept through engineering sign-off, with decision-ready deliverables.
• Translate DFMEA, NUDD, requirements, and known product risks into an integrated vehicle validation strategy across Rivian’s validation pillars.
• Build and maintain the integrated vehicle validation plan, including what tests run when, on which vehicles, at what maturity, and with what configuration.
• Lead cross-functional alignment across engineering, program, test, manufacturing, launch, service, quality, and other partner teams to align validation coverage, asset plans, timing, and readiness.
• Re-plan quickly when content, software, build timing, or readiness changes create risk, maintaining a credible path to key milestones and launch.
• Establish dashboards and metrics, audit DVP and SDVP coverage, and provide clear, data-backed updates that support accountability and fast decision-making.
• Proactively identify gaps and risks, drive mitigation and issue closure, and ensure findings are fed back into requirements, DFMEAs, and future plans.
• Apply validation governance and continuous improvement efforts, including standardizing methods and tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
• Typically 8+ years of experience in automotive or complex electro-mechanical products, including significant experience in technical program management, systems engineering, validation, or similar cross-functional leadership roles.
• Deep understanding of vehicle development milestones, systems engineering, and how DVPs, DFMEAs, requirements, and build phases support validation and launch decisions.
• Demonstrated experience planning and orchestrating validation at the vehicle or major subsystem level, including DVP creation, asset planning, schedule integration, and test or issue closure.
• Strong fluency with tools such as Jira, Confluence, Jama, dashboards, and related data systems to drive decisions, not just reporting.
• Proven ability to influence across functions and levels, operate with limited supervision, lead projects with diverse stakeholders, and make a compelling case for change.

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $154,000 - $192,500 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 salary range for this role is $140,600 - $175,800 for Michigan 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.

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 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 and Technology

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) 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.

How We Use AI in Our Hiring Process: To ensure transparency, we want candidates to know that Rivian uses iCIMS Talent Cloud Artificial Intelligence (TCAI) and AI-enabled tools to assist with screening, reviewing, organizing and highlighting profiles and applications that match the key requirements for each role.

AI does not make hiring decisions: Qualified candidate applications are reviewed by a member of our team, and all decisions throughout the process are made by humans. We use AI to support efficiency and consistency, not to replace human judgment. We are committed to a fair, thoughtful, and equitable experience for every candidate.

Participation in AI profile matching is entirely voluntary. If you prefer that your profile not be used in this process, you can opt out at any time. Opting out means your profile will be excluded from automated matching and will not be surfaced for additional roles through this system. Your current application remains active and will not be affected in any way.