Sr. Thermal Development Engineer

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. 

The Sr. Thermal Development Engineer supports the Thermal Attributes process from initial target setting to final vehicle level sign off. A high focus on benchmarking and customer fleet analysis is part of supporting the Attribute target definition. DVP creation, test planning, vehicle preparation, vehicle testing, data analysis and documentation are part of the daily activities for this role. Support chamber and road trip testing for Propulsion Conditioning and HVAC Attributes as well and hardware/software development. Manage opening and closure of engineering concerns and issues throughout the vehicle life

• Plan and execute thermal system development and validation testing, including travel to off-site locations for testing in extreme hot and cold conditions.
• Develop test procedures that align with user stories and attribute requirements and lead to high quality test results.
• Plan and assist with vehicle instrumentation. Specify instrumentation and data acquisition solutions that meet required accuracy and robustness requirements.
• Analyze and present results to leadership and cross functional teammates.
• Identify, document, and highlight system design gaps and vehicle issues during all phases of testing.
• Create testing documentation including test procedures, verification plans, and test reports.
• Clearly document all test results and issues identified during the development cycle and sign off procedure.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited University. The candidate must have strong engineering fundamentals
• 2-5 years of experience in automotive thermal system or HVAC development
• Experience with thermal instrumentation, data acquisition, and post processing
• Working knowledge of automotive communication protocols (CAN, LIN, Ethernet) and relevant debugging tools
• Detailed understanding and experience with automotive refrigerant / heat pump systems is preferred
• Knowledge of electric vehicle HVAC and Heating / Cooling systems is a plus
• A proven track record of problem solving and independent root cause analysis
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• The proven ability to produce clean, organized, and timely documentation
• Background in calibration for HVAC and Propulsion Conditioning is a strong plus
• Innate curiosity about all things automotive
• Ability to work autonomously
• Travel: up to 50%

Salary Range Irvine-Based Applicants: $121,500-$151,900 (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, and other factors permitted by law).

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 : $121,500 - $151,900