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 Rivian seeks a Staff Design & Release Engineer to conduct development and end-to-end engineering release for interior trim systems across the vehicle interior. This role will serve as the design and release owner for interior trim components, integrating design intent, packaging, appearance, ergonomics, manufacturing feasibility, quality, cost, and timing into robust production-ready solutions. The ideal candidate brings 7–10+ years of automotive or relevant product-development experience, strong knowledge of interior-trim systems, and a demonstrated ability to develop complex work through ambiguity. This person will be a trusted cross-functional partner who uses first-principles problem-solving, sound engineering judgment, and clear communication to drive decisions and deliver high-quality products. Responsibilities ● Own design and release activities from early concept and package definition through detailed design, validation, tooling, production launch, and post-launch issue resolution. ● Develop and manage system-level requirements, interfaces, master sections, gap-and-flush strategy, attachment concepts, tolerances, material transitions, and assembly interfaces. ● Lead cross-functional alignment with Industrial Design, Packaging, Ergonomics, Body, BIW, Restraints, HVAC, Electrical, Manufacturing Engineering, Supplier Quality, Purchasing, Program Management, and other partner teams. ● Translate vehicle-level requirements and design intent into feasible, manufacturable, serviceable, and robust trim solutions. ● Drive issue resolution using first-principles engineering, structured problem solving, data, and clear trade-off analysis. ● Lead design reviews, technical working sessions, risk assessments, and decision-making forums; clearly communicate recommendations, risks, and required actions. ● Create and maintain engineering release deliverables, including CAD, drawings, specifications, GD&T, tolerance studies, BOMs, change documentation, and validation plans. ● Partner with suppliers and manufacturing teams to develop tooling, processes, assembly methods, and quality controls that meet Rivian requirements. ● Ensure designs meet targets for fit, finish, appearance, perceived quality, function, durability, safety, weight, cost, timing, and manufacturability. ● Support build events, prototype evaluations, vehicle-level integration, test activities, launch readiness, and root-cause analysis of production or field issues. ● Establish scalable engineering standards, best practices, and reusable design approaches for future interior-trim programs. ● Mentor engineers and influence technical direction without relying solely on formal authority. Qualifications ● Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Product Design Engineering, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree is a plus. ● 7+ years (preferred) of experience in automotive engineering, vehicle interiors, trim systems, product development, or a closely related discipline. ● Demonstrated experience leading the design and release of automotive interior components or systems from concept through production. ● Strong understanding of interior-trim construction, materials, attachment strategies, tolerance stack-up, gap-and-flush, appearance requirements, and manufacturing processes. ● Experience with 3D CAD, engineering drawings, GD&T, change management, BOM structures, and product data-management systems. ● Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional engineering work and resolve competing requirements in a fast-paced environment. ● Strong first-principles problem-solving skills, including the ability to decompose ambiguous problems, identify root causes, and make technically sound decisions. ● Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with senior leaders, design teams, suppliers, and manufacturing partners. ● Demonstrated ownership, organization, and follow-through across multiple priorities and aggressive program timelines. Pay Disclosure The salary range for this role is $137,800 – $172,200 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 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. 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 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.
- Own design and release activities from early concept and package definition through detailed design, validation, tooling, production launch, and post-launch issue resolution. ● Develop and manage system-level requirements, interfaces, master sections, gap-and-flush strategy, attachment concepts, tolerances, material transitions, and assembly interfaces. ● Lead cross-functional alignment with Industrial Design, Packaging, Ergonomics, Body, BIW, Restraints, HVAC, Electrical, Manufacturing Engineering, Supplier Quality, Purchasing, Program Management, and other partner teams. ● Translate vehicle-level requirements and design intent into feasible, manufacturable, serviceable, and robust trim solutions. ● Drive issue resolution using first-principles engineering, structured problem solving, data, and clear trade-off analysis. ● Lead design reviews, technical working sessions, risk assessments, and decision-making forums; clearly communicate recommendations, risks, and required actions. ● Create and maintain engineering release deliverables, including CAD, drawings, specifications, GD&T, tolerance studies, BOMs, change documentation, and validation plans. ● Partner with suppliers and manufacturing teams to develop tooling, processes, assembly methods, and quality controls that meet Rivian requirements. ● Ensure designs meet targets for fit, finish, appearance, perceived quality, function, durability, safety, weight, cost, timing, and manufacturability. ● Support build events, prototype evaluations, vehicle-level integration, test activities, launch readiness, and root-cause analysis of production or field issues. ● Establish scalable engineering standards, best practices, and reusable design approaches for future interior-trim programs. ● Mentor engineers and influence technical direction without relying solely on formal authority.
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Product Design Engineering, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree is a plus. ● 7+ years (preferred) of experience in automotive engineering, vehicle interiors, trim systems, product development, or a closely related discipline. ● Demonstrated experience leading the design and release of automotive interior components or systems from concept through production. ● Strong understanding of interior-trim construction, materials, attachment strategies, tolerance stack-up, gap-and-flush, appearance requirements, and manufacturing processes. ● Experience with 3D CAD, engineering drawings, GD&T, change management, BOM structures, and product data-management systems. ● Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional engineering work and resolve competing requirements in a fast-paced environment. ● Strong first-principles problem-solving skills, including the ability to decompose ambiguous problems, identify root causes, and make technically sound decisions. ● Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with senior leaders, design teams, suppliers, and manufacturing partners. ● Demonstrated ownership, organization, and follow-through across multiple priorities and aggressive program timelines.
