Sr. Program Manager, Vehicle Validation

Rivian • Irvine, CA

6d

About The Position

Vehicle Validation at Rivian ensures every product delivers exceptional function, quality, reliability, and real-world performance. We perform both verification and validation against data-driven requirements that reflect how our customers use our vehicles—connecting DFMEAs, requirements, and validation plans into a cohesive process.
As Sr. Program Manager, you’ll lead cross-functional integration—bringing together engineering, test, prototyping, and manufacturing to align test plans, targets, build milestones, and system functionality from concept through launch. You’ll develop and track comprehensive hardware and software validation plans, ensuring complete verification and validation coverage.
You’ll foster collaboration across vehicle programs, align resources, balance cost, risk, timing, and scope, and help teams close gaps—creating the clarity needed to deliver vehicles that exceed expectations.

Requirements

• Typically 5+ years of experience in automotive or related industries, with at least 3 years in program management or similar cross-functional roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, or equivalent combination of education, training, and hands-on experience.
• Understanding of vehicle development milestones, systems engineering, and program delivery.
• Familiarity with production, retrofit, and prototype build processes.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across teams, communicate effectively, and enable high-quality outcomes.
• Passion for problem-solving, continuous learning, and delivering exceptional products to customers.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate validation timelines, build plans, and program milestones in partnership with engineering and cross-functional teams.
• Support the full validation cycle—from requirements through production sign-off—covering both component and vehicle-level testing.
• Integrate plans across engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, quality, and test teams to ensure alignment and readiness.
• Identify gaps and risks early, manage escalations, and work with stakeholders to drive resolution.
• Provide clear updates on progress, risks, and mitigation plans to leadership.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of validation processes and tools.

Benefits

• paid vacation
• paid sick leave
• life insurance
• medical insurance
• dental insurance
• vision insurance
• short-term disability insurance
• long-term disability insurance
• 401(k) Plan
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• annual performance bonus
• equity awards

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior