Product Concept Lead Engineer

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

You 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.

Responsibilities

Job 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 Disclosure

The 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.

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 [email protected].

Candidate Data Privacy and Technology

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.

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.