Senior Regulatory Engineer

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies•Irvine, CA

2d•$135,100 - $168,900

About The Position

As a Senior Regulatory Engineer, you will join a team working at the intersection of software engineering and global vehicle regulation - helping ensure that the next generation of software- and AI-defined vehicles meets the regulatory standards of every market we enter. You'll serve as the domain expert guiding development teams through increasingly complex regulatory requirements, with a particular focus on the challenges that come with scaling a unified software architecture across diverse programs and markets.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in automotive product certification, product safety, or homologation.
Demonstrated subject-matter expertise in at least one of the following regulatory domains: Safety, ADAS and Automated Driving, Vehicle Access Systems, Lighting, Body and Closures, Occupant Visibility, Charging, Energy Management, Vehicle Driving Dynamics, Vehicle Modes and State Management, Diagnosis, Data Collection, Audio, Radio / Connectivity / eCall, or Privacy.
Familiarity with EU type approval processes (WVTA) and/or US self-certification procedures.
Proficiency in requirements management tools such as Jama, Codebeamer, or Flow.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across functional teams in a software-centric automotive environment.
Proven ability to work independently and drive outcomes in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with systems and/or ECU development.
Hands-on experience with software-defined vehicles or OTA release processes, including regulatory impact assessment under UN-R 156.
Hands-on experience designing and executing regulatory validation test campaigns (DVP/DVP&R): test case authoring, pass/fail criteria definition, and formal sign-off documentation.
Familiarity with test automation frameworks and scripting (e.g., Python, CAPL, or similar) applied to vehicle system validation, including the ability to assess automation feasibility for regulatory test cases.

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end regulatory view for a dedicated domain: from vehicle-level requirement intake through validation testing and independent sign-off, anticipating and addressing the complexities of evolving global regulations.
Serve as the regulatory subject-matter expert for assigned domains - providing authoritative guidance to engineering and homologation stakeholders on requirement interpretation, scope, and applicability.
Collaborate closely with software and systems engineering teams to integrate regulatory requirements proactively into the design process, minimizing compliance risk and schedule impact.
Author and maintain Homologation Design Validation Plans (DVPs): analyze applicable regulations; identify test obligations; build step-by-step test campaigns; and coordinate execution with internal teams and external test facilities.
Oversee regulation-to-code traceability and compliance documentation: ensure requirements are traceable to software components, and work with OEM homologation teams to compile and manage evidence for certification agencies and external labs.
Manage change impact: assess the regulatory consequences of software design changes, create RxSWIN change evidence, and provide an independent homologation view for software releases in assigned domains.
Contribute to team-wide initiatives that improve the scalability and quality of homologation delivery across multiple programs and markets.