About RivianRivian 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 SummaryAs a Staff Development Engineer, you will lead hands-on prototype vehicle development, commissioning, and debug activities across vehicle software, instrumentation, and test assets. The role is centered on getting development vehicles, support assets, and custom test systems built, operational, and ready for field, chamber, track, and proving-ground use. Recent work in this role has included creating and modifying test vehicles, enabling ADAS test assets, executing software updates, and diagnosing vehicle-level issues on early-development platforms.
Responsibilities- End to end ownership of prototype vehicle commissioning and activation of early-development and test assets, including software bring-up, certificate provisioning, and restoring non-operational vehicles to usable condition.
- Diagnose and resolve vehicle-level software, electrical, and integration issues on development vehicles, including OTA failures, CAN-related faults, and unexpected system behavior in the field.
- Utilize, support or directly create software and controls concepts for prototype systems, including automated fault-injection or data-capture tools; develop and apply AI-assisted analysis tools for validation routine optimization.
- Execute and support development testing in dynamic, environmental, and off-road conditions.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret development data from CAN, vehicle networks, instrumentation, and logs to turn observations into actionable problem statements and next steps.
- Support ADAS and system-integration testing by preparing instrumentation, enabling target assets, configuring vehicles, and maintaining support infrastructure required for track and proving-ground execution.
- Provide practical technical support to peers and partner teams by helping configure development tools, debug setups, and transfer working knowledge needed to keep testing moving.
- Travel as needed (up to 50%) to support prototype vehicles, remote test events, environmental testing, proving-ground activity, and other high-urgency development work.
Qualifications- Strong hands-on engineering capability across vehicle systems, electrical integration, prototype hardware, and software-enabled development work.
- Experience commissioning, debugging, and supporting prototype or early-development vehicles.
- Working knowledge of low-voltage systems and controller / network integration.
- Experience with CAN and diagnostic/development tools such as CANalyzer, CANape, or similar analysis environments.
- Ability to troubleshoot across software, controls, wiring, network communication, and physical hardware integration boundaries.
- Experience building, modifying, or integrating prototype fixtures, instrumentation, support hardware, or custom development assets.
- Comfortable operating in ambiguous development environments where rapid problem solving, self-direction, and practical execution are required.
- Familiarity with Jira / Confluence workflows and documenting technical work clearly enough for cross-functional follow-through.
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Software, Mechatronics, Aerospace, or similar engineering discipline.
- 5+ years of automotive prototype, vehicle integration, or development engineering experience preferred.
Pay DisclosureThe salary range for this role is $119,800 - $149,700 for Arizona 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).
Equal OpportunityRivian 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 and TechnologyRivian 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.
Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services. 
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