Field Quality and Reliability Engineer - Mechanical Systems

Rivian•Normal, IL

17h

About The Position

Quality and reliability are core to Rivian’s customer experience and product performance. We are looking for a Field Quality and Reliability Engineer to support the Vehicle Hardware by identifying emerging field issues early, analyzing reliability trends, and driving technical problem-solving to resolution. This role is focused on using field, service, warranty, and manufacturing data to detect early life failures, proactively identify wear-out failure trends, and translate findings into effective containment and long-term corrective actions. The engineer will work cross-functionally with technical support, design, manufacturing, service, quality, supply chain, and other partner teams to improve product quality and reliability.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering field
Experience in automotive manufacturing, automotive quality, reliability engineering, or a related technical role
Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting field and manufacturing data
Working knowledge of reliability statistics, data analysis, and trend monitoring
Experience supporting root cause investigations and driving issues through containment and corrective action
Ability to work cross-functionally and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders
Working knowledge of Python, SQL, or similar tools for data analysis

Nice To Haves

Experience identifying early life failures and wear-out failure trends in field populations
Knowledge of reliability engineering concepts and statistical methods such as Weibull analysis, life data analysis, and reliability trend tracking
Familiarity with automotive manufacturing processes and vehicle systems
Understanding of the physics of failure for mechanical and electromechanical systems
Experience with problem-solving and failure analysis tools
Familiarity with failure analysis techniques such as microscopy, X-ray, CT, FTIR, SEM, or EDS
Experience using tools such as JMP, ReliaSoft, or similar statistical software

Responsibilities

Apply field quality and reliability engineering methods to improve vehicle performance and customer experience for Vehicle Mechanical systems
Analyze field, service, warranty, and manufacturing data to identify reliability trends, bad actors, and emerging failure modes
Use reliability statistics and trend analysis to detect early life failures and proactively identify wear-out failures in the field
Develop clear risk assessments and communicate issue severity, frequency, and business impact to cross-functional stakeholders
Lead and support technical investigations using a data-driven approach to identify failure patterns, isolate root causes, and define next actions
Drive issues to resolution by partnering with technical support, engineering, manufacturing, service, supplier quality, and other cross-functional teams
Support root cause analysis activities with structured problem-solving methods and evidence-based decision-making
Create analyses ranging from simple time-in-service or mileage-based studies to deeper reliability and degradation assessments
Develop reliability insights and forecasts that help teams prioritize containment, corrective actions, and long-term product improvements
Translate field findings into recommendations for design improvements, manufacturing process improvements, service actions, and test method updates
Monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions and confirm that implemented countermeasures reduce field failure risk.