Role SummaryYou play a critical role in shaping the future of vehicle programs and systems at the early stages of development. Part of the Vehicle Architecture and concept team, your role is to define, evaluate and refine vehicles and systems concepts balancing Attributes, Manufacturability, Cost efficiency and identifying strategic product positioning.
You are directly influencing program profitability by guiding the design decisions that ultimately define vehicle cost structure, investments and long-term platform scalability and flexibility.
You ensure that product concepts are technically feasible, financially viable and aligned with company strategy before significant investment.
ResponsibilitiesJob Duties:- Develop and evaluate vehicle architecture concepts including platform layout, packaging, structural strategy and rational system integration.
- Establish product requirements (range, performance, safety, cost targets, customer experience) and translate them into feasible product concepts.
- Manage early stage trade-off studies across multiple architecture scenarios.
- Define concept -level technical specifications and requirements that will serve as the corner stones of the downstream engineering teams.
Functional integration:- Working with the Advanced studio team, you will Lead the functions, product planning, finance, manufacturing engineering, procurement, and attributes in order to align concept viability and feasibility with business objectives.
- Integrate subsystem constraints (Ergonomy, Battery, Thermal, Chassis, Electrical architecture, manufacturing processes,...) into unified vehicle or system concepts.
- Organize vehicle concept workshops and decision reviews.
Cost and Investment Impact:- You will build and maintain early-stage cost models including the Advanced Concept BOM, Platform scalability and component carry-over opportunities, Manufacturing processes and investment cost estimates.
- Identify cost drivers embedded in the architectural decisions (structure design complexity, part count, manufacturing methods).
- Quantify financial impact of design trade-offs and support executive decision-making with cost-benefit analysis.
- Ensure alignment on concept cost and investment targets before kick-off.
Platform Strategy and Carry Over:- Design concepts that enable platform commonality, modularity and multi-model scalability.
- Assess long-term benefits of architectural standardization across vehicle line-up.
- Define Architectural carry-over opportunities to support strategy roadmap planning and cost.
Feasibility and risk assessment:- Conduct Concept feasibility analysis covering structural integrity, packaging,thermal performance, safety compliance and manufacturability.
- Support concept validation through simulations, and engineering studies.
Decision support and executive communication:- Prepare concept evaluation reports using confluence, combining technical and financial analysis.
- Present architectural options with quantified trade-offs in cost, performance, investment, resources and planning.
- Provide recommendations that optimize the product competitiveness and company's profit.
Qualifications- Bachelor's or Master's Degree in mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, systems engineering or related field.
- Experience in Vehicle architecture, concept engineering, or advanced product development
- Strong understanding of automotive systems integration and packaging.
- Experience in cost modelling, familiar with design to cost methodologies and different manufacturing processes.
- Ability to perform technical trade studies and translate engineering decisions into financial impact.
- Working knowledge of regulatory and certification requirements
- Proficiency in CAD system, 3D experience.
Pay DisclosureThe 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.
Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services. 
