What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Staff Attributes Engineer - Thermal Feature Lead position at Rivian?
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 the Thermal Feature Lead, you will serve as the technical subject matter expert and owner of the end-to-end development of specific thermal features (e.g., manual / auto AC, interior view clearing, solar compensation, heat pump mode transitions, cabin air quality, dual/multi zone HVAC). You will drive the complete lifecycle of these features from initial requirement setting, simulation, system engineering and design, through validation and final vehicle sign-off. You will bridge the gap between design, simulation, software development and testing to optimize for thermal comfort, efficiency and vehicle performance.
This role will ensure an optimized and satisfying customer experience related to Rivian’s Thermal Comfort, Charging and overall Thermal use cases.
Your work will ensure performance targets and customer expectations are met and validated through vehicle program milestones and final Design Verification Plans (DVPs). This role is pivotal in fostering cross-functional alignment and resolving complex engineering challenges related to vehicle level thermal features, performance and efficiency.
Responsibilities
The salary range for this role is $196,000-245,000 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 April 17, 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 candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.
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.
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 the Thermal Feature Lead, you will serve as the technical subject matter expert and owner of the end-to-end development of specific thermal features (e.g., manual / auto AC, interior view clearing, solar compensation, heat pump mode transitions, cabin air quality, dual/multi zone HVAC). You will drive the complete lifecycle of these features from initial requirement setting, simulation, system engineering and design, through validation and final vehicle sign-off. You will bridge the gap between design, simulation, software development and testing to optimize for thermal comfort, efficiency and vehicle performance.
This role will ensure an optimized and satisfying customer experience related to Rivian’s Thermal Comfort, Charging and overall Thermal use cases.
Your work will ensure performance targets and customer expectations are met and validated through vehicle program milestones and final Design Verification Plans (DVPs). This role is pivotal in fostering cross-functional alignment and resolving complex engineering challenges related to vehicle level thermal features, performance and efficiency.
Responsibilities
- Lead the cross functional development of Themal features from initial concept phase through various requirement and feature maturity steps to final evaluation and sign off
- Define user stories and develop initial requirements
- Vehicle and sub system target setting for Thermal features and general use cases
- Timeline planning and time management throughout Thermal feature development
- Support benchmark activities for comprehensive EV market evaluation
- Data analysis for vehicle level testing
- Deep dive into internal and external customer feedback
- Support thermal attribute use case development for all vehicle programs
- Interface with cross-functional teams to align on thermal hardware and control requirements and targets
- Support thermal system architectures development to meet attribute requirements with cross-functional teams such as Studio, Propulsion, Thermal and Controls
- Support Vehicle level testing in wind tunnel, proving grounds and on-road
- Frequent leadership report out to executive management team
- Engineering Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree from an accredited University with a strong background in Thermal Science
- 10 years’ experience with automotive thermal systems and components in OEMs or suppliers
- Strong and Solid understanding of automotive thermal systems especially on customer facing use cases and performance expectations
- Deep knowledge on HVAC and Cabin systems
- Proven track record of problem solving and independent root cause analysis
- Technical program management skills and proven track record of time management
- Thermal chamber/Climatic wind tunnel testing experience is a great plus
- Expert knowledge of HV battery, Electrified Drive unit and Power Electronics is a great plus
- Experience in vehicle engineering and attributes is desired
- Deep knowledge of thermal drive cycles and hand on test experience is a great plus
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skill
- Travel: 15%
- Must have a valid driver’s license in the state of residence that you will be driving/operating a vehicle
The salary range for this role is $196,000-245,000 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 April 17, 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 candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.
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.
Salary : $196,000 - $245,000