JD Intern - Intellectual Property

Rivian•Irvine, CA

18h•$35 - $45

About The Position

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. Internship Term: Rivian internships are experiences optimized for student candidates. To be eligible, you must be an undergraduate or graduate student in an accredited program during the internship term with an expected graduation date between December 2026 through May 2027. Rivian's Internship Program requires active student enrollment. Information regarding your expected degree completion date is collected solely to verify eligibility and determine your availability for future full-time opportunities. Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and does not use graduation dates to determine the age of applicants or as a basis for discriminatory hiring decisions. If you are not pursuing a degree, please see our full time positions on our Rivian careers site. Note that if your university has specific requirements for internship programs, it is your responsibility to fulfill those requirements. You wiill support Rivian’s Intellectual Property team in capturing and protecting inventions across our EV platforms, autonomy/ADAS, AI, and manufacturing technologies. By assisting with patent application drafting, prior art analysis, and IP operations (including AI-enabled workflows), the role helps strengthen Rivian’s patent portfolio and reduces IP risk for current and future products.

Requirements

Current, full-time law school student (rising 3L or 2L with previous patent experience) or equivalent law student in an accredited program, with a strong interest in patent law and technology
Undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or closely related field (or equivalent significant coursework/experience in these areas), ideally with exposure to AI/ML, data science, or related topics.
Coursework or practical experience in patent law (e.g., patent law class, patent clinic, journal note, or related research); familiarity with USPTO practice and basic claim structure is strongly preferred, and interest in AI/IP issues is a plus.
Demonstrated experience analyzing technical materials and writing clearly for legal and technical audiences, such as lab projects, research, technical reports, prior IP work, or projects involving software, data, or AI systems.
Strong analytical, organization, and collaboration skills, with the ability to manage multiple matters, incorporate feedback, and work cross‑functionally with engineers and legal colleagues, including comfort working with AI‑enabled tools where appropriate.
Eligible to sit for the patent bar exam (prefer degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering, physics or biotechnology);
Must be available to work at least 40 hours a week Monday-Friday
Excellent communication skills both oral and written

Responsibilities

Draft and refine patent applications and claims for hardware, software, and AI-related inventions based on inventor disclosures, technical documentation, and patent committee feedback.
Conduct prior art searches and patent landscape reviews to evaluate patentability and support filing and prosecution strategies for Rivian’s vehicle, battery, autonomy, and AI technologies.
Support prosecution activities (e.g., reviewing search reports, proposed claim amendments, and examiner communications) and help prepare draft responses or recommendations under attorney supervision.
Collaborate with IP attorneys, patent agents, and engineers to clarify technical concepts, document key innovations, and align filings with Rivian’s product and technology roadmaps.
Contribute to IP operations and AI tooling, such as experimenting with or improving internal Generative AI agents used for invention harvesting, drafting, and IP reporting workflows.