Electrical Design Engineering Intern

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies•Irvine, CA

21h•$38 - $45•Onsite

About The Position

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a strategic joint venture between Rivian and the Volkswagen Group, dedicated to shaping the future of advanced mobility. By combining Rivian’s leadership in software-defined vehicle platforms with Volkswagen’s global manufacturing excellence, we’re engineering next-generation technology to make vehicles smarter, safer, and more sustainable. Our goal is to constantly push the boundaries of feature density within the thermal envelope while simplifying harness and vehicle manufacturing. As an Electrical Design Engineering Intern, you will work directly alongside senior engineers in developing cutting-edge zonal hardware—the backbone for power distribution and control functions in our next-generation vehicles. We are looking for a hands-on, curious intern with a strong foundation in electrical engineering fundamentals, a passion for automotive innovation, and an eagerness to learn in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. This is a full-time, in-person position based at our Irvine, CA office from September 21 to December 18, 2026.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in an accredited graduate degree program in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field.
Experience with audio amplifier design or testing
Strong coursework or hands-on project foundation in core EE principles (analog/digital circuit design, microcontrollers, and power basics).
Hands-on experience with standard electrical lab equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, function generators, logic analyzers, and soldering tools).
Experience with EDA tools for schematic capture and PCB layout (e.g., Altium, Cadence Allegro, KiCAD, or similar) through student projects, teams, or prior coursework.
Strong problem-solving abilities, curiosity, and a proactive mindset toward learning.

Nice To Haves

Participation in hands-on student engineering teams (e.g., Formula SAE, Solar Car, Hyperloop, or Robotics).
Familiarity with common automotive or embedded communication protocols (CAN, SPI, I2C, Ethernet).
Basic understanding of low-voltage power electronics or solid-state switching.

Responsibilities

Assist senior engineers across the hardware design process, from schematic capture and component selection to PCB layout reviews and lab validation.
Help design, bring up, test, and debug low-voltage zonal control modules and custom evaluation boards.
Support testing on power electronics subsystems (including solid-state power distribution) and verify signal integrity across communication buses (CAN, SPI, Ethernet, and analog/digital I/O).
Perform hands-on root cause analysis, troubleshooting, and failure investigations on PCBAs and prototypes using standard lab tools.
Partner with mechanical, thermal, software, and validation teams to ensure hardware integrates smoothly into prototype vehicles.
Assist with hardware validation across early build phases (EVT/DVT) and vehicle-level testing.