Senior Lead, Perception Onboard Robotics Software

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

The Perception Onboard Robotics Software Lead will direct the development of our deterministic, non-machine-learning onboard software layer. In this role, you will lead the engineering efforts responsible for the vital algorithmic software that augments our core machine learning models onboard. You will ensure this high-performance codebase provides critical safety guardrails, monitors model performance, and powers essential platform capabilities-for example, real-time safety functions or visualization displays. This position includes leading a team of individual contributors and defining the architecture for our real-time runtime environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, development, and optimization of deterministic onboard perception software, drawing on core robotics disciplines such as state estimation, multi-target tracking, or sensor fusion.

• Design and implement safety guardrails and runtime monitoring systems to validate and bound machine learning model outputs.

• Develop highly performant software to support critical system capabilities not covered by machine learning models, for example, active safety layers or real-time human-machine interface (HMI) displays.

• Enforce rigorous software engineering standards, focusing on execution speed, minimal memory footprint, deterministic behavior, and comprehensive automated testing.

• Recruit, mentor, and manage a team of robotics software engineers, establishing clear technical direction and driving execution.

• Collaborate closely with machine learning and systems architecture teams to seamlessly integrate classical robotics software with deep learning pipelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

• Extensive experience developing production-grade onboard software for autonomous vehicles, robotics, or aerospace systems.

• Deep theoretical and practical knowledge of classical robotics concepts-for example, spatial reasoning, state estimation, object tracking, or geometric computer vision.

• Expert-level proficiency in C++ with a strong focus on real-time constraints, execution speed, memory management, and concurrency.

• Proven track record of delivering deterministic, safety-critical software architectures that meet stringent latency and reliability requirements.

• Experience designing software-based safety monitors, fault-detection systems, or validation guardrails for complex runtime environments.

• Demonstrated experience leading, managing, or mentoring software and robotics engineering teams.

• Strong cross-functional communication and coordination skills, with the ability to bridge the gap between classical robotics approaches and modern machine learning paradigms.

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $265,000-331,300 for San Francisco Bay Area 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.

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.