Senior Staff Manufacturing Engineer - Power Electronics

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 a Sr. Staff Manufacturing Engineer for Power Electronics, you will serve as the principal technical authority bridging internal Design Release Engineers (DREs), Manufacturing Engineering (ME), and external supplier/Contract Manufacturer (CM) partners. You will ensure that future suppliers are rigorously vetted and that their manufacturing capabilities, processes, and equipment setups are sufficiently robust, reliable, and scalable before sourcing decisions and design locks are finalized.

In this role, you will evaluate and vet suppliers manufacturing critical power electronics components, including high pressure die-cast housings, high-voltage busbars, LV/HV headers, seals, DC link capacitors, metal brackets, EMI filter cores, and power modules used across traction inverters, DC charging power electronics modules, and energy management control units (EMCUs). Additionally, you will drive DFM/DFx reviews, partner with automation/equipment

integrators on process development, validate equipment capability (Cp/Cpk, GR&R), and support pilot line stand-up through full NPI and production ramp.

This position is based at our Carson, CA facility and reports directly to the Power Electronics Mechanical Engineering Director.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end technical vetting, auditing, and approval of potential suppliers, CMs, and equipment integrators. Conduct process capability evaluations, run-at-rate audits, and facility reviews (on candidate line setups or equivalent production lines) to prove supplier capability matches ramp plans prior to sourcing

• Work side by side with mechanical design engineers to optimize power electronics assemblies for producibility, establish vendor-aligned design rules, reduce BOM cost and complexity, and resolve process risks prior to design freeze

• Evaluate and validate manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixtures across core supplier components, including high-pressure die castings, HV/LV headers and busbars, seals, DC link capacitors, metal brackets, EMI filter cores, and power modules

• Lead technical reviews of machine requirements and equipment designs with third-party automation suppliers. Drive formal equipment qualification processes, including system correlation, process capability analysis, and Gage Repeatability & Reproducibility (GR&R)

• Partner with internal manufacturing teams and sourced integrators on pilot line setups, shop layout optimization, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and line handover for next-generation power electronics production lines (e.g.,900V EMCU and SPIM)

• Lead architecture reviews and design phase gate decisions, ensuring solutions are scalable, manufacturable and aligned with program objectives

• Design and engineer complex subsystems including high-pressure die castings, injection-molded plastics, busbars, sheet metal, HV/LV harnesses, sealing interfaces and PCBA mechanical integration

• Own the full mechanical release cycle in ENOVIA, governing data integrity, design maturity and BOM accuracy across multiple concurrent programs

• Drive weekly technical reviews with suppliers to resolve open design items, enforce DFM alignment, and maintain delivery commitments

• Act as the senior technical escalation point for Supplier Quality on critical path issues

• Support the generation of high-impact engineering documents including Component Technical Specifications (CTS), Statements of Work (SOW), system-level DFMEAs, and assembly manuals

• Implement data-driven methodologies for workmanship, maintenance, process controls, and end-to-end data retention/traceability. Drive yield improvement initiatives and eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks to ensure supplier capacity meets demand

• Lead structured root-cause and corrective action investigations (8D, 5-Whys) for process and prototype failures, leveraging advanced analytical failure techniques (e.g., Optical Inspection, X-Ray, Cross-Sectioning, SEM)

• Function as a technical program bridge across ME, testing, DREs, Supply Chain, and executive leadership to align program schedules, manage risks, and ensure transparent status reporting

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering or a related engineering discipline; Master’s degree preferred

• 8+ years of progressive engineering experience in manufacturing engineering, supplier industrialization, or DFM roles, with a focus on high-volume automation, precision assembly, and tooling development

• Proven track record vetting, auditing, and managing external suppliers, contract manufacturers (CMs), and equipment integrators

• Hands-on process engineering experience with precision joining (laser welding, dispensing, heat staking, mechanical fasteners), thermal interface material (TIM) application, high-pressure die casting, and injection molding

• Deep experience in manufacturing process verification, including equipment capability testing, GR&R, run-at-rate audits, and statistical process control (SPC)

• Expert command of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and a track record developing tolerance stack-up analysis for complex power electronics assemblies

• Familiarity with failure analysis techniques (e.g., X-Ray, CSAM, SEM, EDS, Cross-Sectioning)

• Demonstrated ability to lead structured root-cause analysis (8D, Fishbone, 5-whys) on complex field and manufacturing failures

• Experience working with high-voltage automotive power electronics assemblies (e.g.,traction inverters, electrified powertrains, EMCUs, DC fast charging modules, or battery systems)

• Excellent cross-functional leadership, negotiation, and communication skills to influence external partners and internal engineering teams

• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally to support supplier audits, CM activities, and equipment commissioning

• Familiarity with 3D CAD software (CATIA V5/V6 preferred)

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is USD 176,200-220,300 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. 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. 

You can apply for this role through careers.rivian.com (or through internal-careers-rivian.icims.com if you are a current employee). This job is not expected to be closed any sooner than October 15th, 2026.

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 [email protected].

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) 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.  

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.

Interview Integrity & AI Policy 

Our interview process is designed to evaluate your personal technical foundation, real-time problem-solving logic, and structured capabilities. Therefore, the use of assistive generative AI tools to formulate or deliver your solutions during live interview sessions is not permitted. We care most about how you think — how you make sense of unclear requirements, weigh trade-offs, and explain why you chose one approach over another. We value your unique human perspective, your authenticity, and the journey it takes to reach a solution.

Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.