Lighting Mechanical Engineer

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 an automotive lighting mechanical engineer you will play a critical role in the design, development, and validation of exterior lighting systems on our Rivian vehicles. Your responsibilities span the entire product lifecycle, from initial concept to mass production and beyond.

You must combine strong analytical skills, creative problem-solving abilities, and excellent communication to bring innovative and compliant lighting solutions to life in our vehicle product line.

You will serve as a key technical contact, facilitating communication among Studio, Engineering, Suppliers, and Procurement. Your role will involve cross-functional collaboration to ensure seamless integration with various components such as BIW, fascia, mirrors, cockpit, and door trim

Responsibilities

1. Design and Development:

• Concept Generation: Working with styling and design teams to translate aesthetic visions into feasible mechanical designs for headlights and taillights.
• 3D CAD Modelling: Creating detailed 3D models of lighting components and assemblies using CAD. This includes housings, lenses, reflectors, light guides, connectors, brackets, and mounting points.
• Packaging and Feasibility Studies: Ensuring that lighting components fit within the allocated space in the vehicle, considering other vehicle systems and manufacturing constraints.
• Material Selection: Choosing appropriate materials (e.g., plastics for injection molding, aluminum for die casting, sheet metal) based on performance requirements (thermal, optical, structural), cost, and manufacturability.
• Tolerance Studies and GD&T: Applying Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) principles to ensure proper fit, function, and assembly of components.
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Assembly (DFA): Optimizing designs for efficient and cost-effective production, considering tooling requirements (e.g., injection mold tooling), assembly processes, and potential manufacturing issues.
• Thermal Management: Designing solutions to manage heat generated by light sources.
• Structural Design: Ensuring the mechanical integrity and durability of lighting components under various environmental conditions and vehicle operational envelope.

1. Analysis and Validation:

• Validation Testing: Planning, executing, and analyzing results from various tests, including:
• Environmental testing (temperature, humidity, vibration).
• Durability testing.
• Functional testing.
• Compliance: Ensuring designs comply with regulations applicable to each designated market.

1. Project Management and Collaboration:

• Supplier Management: Working closely with Tier 1 lighting suppliers throughout the development process, including data exchange, tooling kick-off, and design approvals.
• Timeline and Budget Management: collaborate with the DRE to support project timelines, deliverables, and budgets to ensure successful product launch.
• Documentation: Creating and maintaining engineering documentation, such as technical specifications, Design Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (DFMEA), Design Verification Plans (DVP), and Bills of Material (BOMs).
• Problem Solving: Investigating and resolving design, manufacturing, or quality issues that arise during development and production.
• Continuous Improvement: Identifying opportunities for design optimization, cost reduction, and performance enhancement.

1. Manufacturing and Launch Support:

• Production Launch: Supporting the launch of new lighting products in assembly plants, addressing any issues that arise during manufacturing ramp-up.
• Shop Floor Support: Resolving mechanical issues or design-related problems encountered on the factory floor.
• Quality Assurance: Ensuring the quality and compliance of lighting products throughout their lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• 2-3+ years of Exterior/Interior Lamp development at a Tier 1 or OEM
• Capable of managing the full part lifecycle, including design, engineering validation, and release to production systems with a degree of oversight from a Senior Engineer

• Demonstrated proficiency in CAD tools, with the ability to create, manipulate, and review geometry to communicate concepts and design intent. Role includes significant focus (approximately 50%) on geometry development and refinement

• Preferred experience in CATIA V5/V6, with the ability to apply CAD skills to develop and communicate technically sound design solutions.
• Capable of Generating 3D geometry & sectional data. (Key module utilization: Part design & Geometric Surface design)

• Able to apply fundamental and first principles to identify analyse and resolve technical challenges

• Demonstrated ability to manage information, prioritize tasks, and communicate project status with clarity.
• Able to Communicate clearly and concisely with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Speos Experience (Preferred)

Pay Disclosure

Salary Range Irvine-Based Applicants: $85,600-$107,000 (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, and other factors permitted by law).

Benefits Summary: Rivian provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Full Time Employee coverage is effective on the first day of employment. Part-Time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment.

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

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.