Role Summary

The Factory Design & Simulation team is at the core of Rivian's mission to redefine the future of automotive manufacturing. By turning industrial strategy into optimized value streams we enable production of market-leading EVs at scale. As part of Digital Manufacturing Engineering & Automation we create standardized tools and processes for throughput and material flow simulations. By understanding high-level factory goals and collaborating with teams designing individual systems, our team ensures the holistic factory design meets Rivian's ambitious objectives.

In this highly collaborative role, you will use discrete event simulation (DES) to guide factory design from early concepts to full operation. Partnering with industrial strategy, vertical, and integration teams, you'll define throughput architecture, establish buffer requirements, and create DES standards to ensure system designs achieve required production rates. Your responsibilities extend from executing simulations throughout the design process to identifying bottlenecks during production ramp-up and validation against actual production.

This position requires a comprehensive grasp of Manufacturing Engineering principles, complemented by a strong proficiency in simulation modeling. We seek candidates who solve complex problems using a first-principles approach and possess an intrinsic drive for design optimization. The successful candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, contributing to an agile, highly motivated team. You should be meticulous, analytical, and collaborative, with the ability to think at a systems level about ambiguous challenges and apply logical reasoning to build models that guide optimal factory design outcomes.

Join us in our mission to Keep the World Adventurous Forever.

This position is located at our Normal, IL facility or Plymouth, MI and relocation is mandatory. The role will directly report to a Manager, Manufacturing Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Build discrete event simulation models for various parts of the manufacturing or logistic process - Body, Paint, Drive Unit, Battery, and General Assembly, Supply Chain
• Manage multiple integrators and integrate their deliverables into shop and factory models
• Develop decision making frameworks with quantifiable tradeoffs for the entire factory or individual manufacturing processes
• Optimize plant layouts by analyzing throughput capabilities, bottlenecks, buffer sizing, and material routing
• Collaborate with the Automation & Controls team to collect and subsequently incorporate real-world data to validate models and suggest improvements
• Develop and sustain digital twin models to effectively test and validate the designs of manufacturing systems.
• Co-develop standards for discrete event simulation models incl. development of a library of simulation assets with properties and performance characteristics.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering, or Computer Science
• 5+ years of experience in industrial or manufacturing engineering, with focus on applying discrete event simulation to enhance process efficiency.
• Extremely proficient with discrete-event simulation tools
• Familiarity with creating new features and modules within discrete event simulation platforms using FlexScript, Simtalk, C++, and/or Python.
• Knowledge of statistics, uncertainty, and sensitivity analysis
• Strong analytical and organizational skills and ability to manage several projects at the same time in a highly variable and uncertain environment
• A track record of quantitatively resolving ambiguous, systems-level problems.
• Effective written and verbal communication at all organizational level
• A positive attitude paired with strong work ethics aligned to Rivian's mission and compass values

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in General Assembly or Paint shop
• Proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets and data visualization/analysis tools like Tableau or SQL.
• Experience working with layout designs in AutoCAD

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $98,500-$123,000 for Illinois and Michigan 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). This job is not expected to be closed any sooner than 9/1/2026.