Senior Manager, ADS Safety Case & Global Regulatory Strategy

Rivian•Palo Alto, CA

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Manager, ADS Safety Case & Global Regulatory Strategy to lead the regulatory development, maintenance, and defense of Rivian’s Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving system (ADS) safety cases. This role sits at the intersection of Regulatory Affairs, Autonomy, Engineering, and Safety, serving as the technical lead for demonstrating the safety performance of our autonomy stack to governmental bodies and global regulators. As a critical connector between our Autonomy & AI, Vehicle Safety, and Regulatory teams, you will ensure that our safety claims are backed by credible, data-driven evidence. You will demonstrate to regulatory bodies how our hardware, software, and simulation platforms work together to create a scalable and defensible safety argument and that our technology meets the highest standards of technical rigor as we move toward a driverless future. Why This Role Matters Enabling Deployment: By developing credible, evidence-based safety cases supporting governmental approvals, you directly enable the commercialization and deployment of Rivian’s L3/4 autonomous systems on public roads. Regulatory Trust: As a primary technical expert for regulators, you build the transparency and trust necessary for Rivian to navigate complex, evolving global approval processes. Cross-Functional Rigor: You will work closely with the teams curating the technical evidence across simulation and fleet operations that justifies our safety performance. Narrative Development: You will contribute to creating a cohesive safety narrative across our entire ADS hardware and software ecosystem.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in autonomous driving, ADAS, or complex software-intensive safety-critical systems.
Experience supporting formal regulatory assessments, audits, or safety approvals with governmental agencies.
Direct experience developing, maintaining, or reviewing safety cases for Level 3/4 autonomous systems.
Deep technical knowledge of automotive safety standards, specifically ISO 26262, ISO 21448 (SOTIF), and UL 4600.
Proven expertise in hazard analysis, risk assessment, and safety-critical systems thinking.
Familiarity with simulation-based safety validation and using fleet data for safety performance monitoring.
Ability to translate high-level safety goals into granular technical requirements for hardware and software teams.
Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Experience working in a fast-paced, high-growth engineering environment with frequent software release cycles.
A collaborative mindset with a track record of building inclusive, cross-functional partnerships.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Safety Management, or a related technical field.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in a global regulatory role within the EV or autonomous vehicle industry.
Advanced understanding of AI/Machine Learning safety validation techniques and probabilistic safety arguments.
Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies applied to safety process design.
History of active participation in international standards committees or industry working groups focused on ADS safety.
Prior experience navigating Type Approval and deployment regulations outside of North America (e.g., Europe/UNECE, APAC markets).

Responsibilities

Safety Case Development & Strategy: To support global governmental approvals, own the end-to-end development and maintenance of the regulatory-facing safety cases for Rivian’s autonomous driving systems.
Synthesize complex technical data from Autonomy, AI, and Systems Engineering into structured, defensible safety arguments.
Identify and curate safety evidence across hardware, software, and simulation environments to justify the sufficiency of regulatory-facing safety claims.
Drive the evolution and maintenance of the government-mandated safety cases as the Operational Design Domain (ODD) expands and system capabilities mature.
Develop and support processes to streamline compliance tracking, ensuring all safety evidence and regulatory requirements are systematically captured and maintained.
Regulatory Engagement & Defense: Represent Rivian as a safety technical expert in discussions with regulatory agencies and governmental bodies worldwide.
Prepare comprehensive safety case materials for submissions, formal audits, and external assessments.
Address technical questions and feedback from regulators, ensuring all findings are resolved with rigorous engineering data.
Track and influence evolving regulatory expectations for ADS safety case content and technical requirements.
Support other regulatory initiatives or activities as needed.
Cross-Functional Safety Integration: Partner with Autonomy & AI, Software, and Vehicle Safety teams to ensure safety claims accurately reflect real-world system behavior.
Ensure rigorous traceability between identified hazards, safety requirements, mitigations, and the supporting validation evidence.
Participate in safety impact assessments for design changes, OTA software updates, and new feature launches.
Guide contributing engineering teams on the technical rigor and documentation standards required for regulatory-grade safety evidence.
Continuous Improvement & Standards: Apply deep knowledge of ISO 26262, ISO 21448 (SOTIF), and UL 4600 to internal safety processes.
Contribute to the standardization of the methods for hazard analysis/risk assessment and development of internal frameworks for simulation-based safety validation that meet or exceed global regulatory benchmarks.
Identify high-value opportunities to automate safety evidence collection and traceability within the engineering lifecycle and to support regulatory filings.