Sr. Controls Engnieer, Body Controls

Role Summary

We are seeking a dedicated and innovative Body Controls Engineer to join our team, focused on the Vehicle Management feature area. This role owns the development and integration of embedded software for vehicle-level body functions such as vehicle access, central locking, security, alarm, crash response, passive safety, occupant and child presence detection, AVAS/horn, trailer detection, and steering wheel/button interfaces, delivered as software modules on a zonal vehicle platform. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in electrical, computer, or software engineering with a focus on automotive embedded systems, safety-relevant software, and vehicle-network integration.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop embedded control software for vehicle management features including robust state machines, arbitration logic, and vehicle-mode handling that coordinate multiple ECUs and features across the vehicle.
• Review requirements and produce high-level functional specification designs in collaboration with systems, integration, and platform partners.
• Own features end to end within a feature-focused development model.
• Integrate features on bench and vehicle across multiple ECUs and networks, resolve interface issues, and drive features to release readiness.
• Develop and maintain diagnostics and diagnostic interfaces to support troubleshooting, manufacturing, and service.
• Support safety analyses for ISO 26262 compliance, particularly for passive-safety and vehicle-access features.
• Validate features in Unit, SIL, HIL, and vehicle test environments; contribute to feature tuning and calibration; and triage field and fleet issues using vehicle data and logs.
• Use a multidisciplinary approach to troubleshoot functional problems in vehicles by addressing root causes across physical, electrical, network, and software domains.
• Prioritize and escalate issues based on user impact, safety relevance, and program objectives for prompt resolution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical, computer, or software engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience with automotive or embedded software systems.
• Expertise in C and Python.
• Strong understanding of embedded software fundamentals: real-time operating systems / task scheduling, memory management and MPU protection, interrupts, timing analysis.
• Experience with vehicle networks and protocols (CAN/CAN-FD, LIN, Automotive Ethernet), diagnostics (UDS, DIDs/DTCs, routines) and proficiency in related tools.
• Experience with safety-relevant automotive software and functional safety methodologies (ISO 26262, FMEA, fault trees); passive-safety or vehicle-access experience strongly preferred.
• Understanding of hardware components relevant to body controls.
• Experience with Requirements Management Systems (e.g., JAMA/Flow).
• Ability to travel up to 10%.
  
  Nice to Have
• Experience building test automation for embedded software: SIL frameworks, HIL/VHIL test benches, automated regression, and CI integration.
• Experience applying AI-assisted software development tools and agents (e.g., code generation, automated test creation, log/issue triage) to accelerate embedded software development while maintaining safety and quality standards.
• Experience with test reporting and data pipelines to track feature health and test coverage

Total Rewards

We build the exceptional - and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to a competitive base salary, full-time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program.

Payments are discretionary and not guaranteed; actual amounts depend on company results and the terms of the plan in effect, and require active employment at the time of payout. This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), subject to board approval and the terms of our equity incentive plans, including applicable vesting requirements.

In addition to our compensation programs, we invest in our people with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, wellbeing, and financial future for full-time employees - including health coverage, retirement savings, time off, and family planning programs. Offerings vary by country. Learn more about our global benefit programs.

External candidates can apply for this role through the Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies careers site (https://rivianvw.tech/#careers). If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board.