Senior Strategy Engineer

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies•Irvine, CA

About The Position

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world. The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone. Role Summary We are seeking a Sr. Strategy Engineer to serve as a critical bridge between Rivian, Volkswagen Group Technologies (RVTech) software/electrical/program teams, and VW Group organizations. The Sr. Strategy Engineer develops strategies and execution plans that improve how we commission, launch, and scale software-driven systems across VW Group brands, including manufacturing, diagnostics, secondary ECU compliance, and end-to-end integration and testing, while operating with a high degree of autonomy and ownership over results. You will ensure seamless communication, alignment, and execution of commissioning, diagnostics, and compliance activities, with a focus on optimizing processes and integrating cutting-edge technologies from Rivian and VWGT into VW Group brand vehicle and manufacturing ecosystems.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Manufacturing, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
5+ years of experience in automotive manufacturing, diagnostics, ECU integration/compliance, or cross-functional roles in engineering and operations, with clear progression in scope and autonomy typical of a RIV-5 professional.
Strong understanding of line commissioning, product development and production launch timelines, and milestone builds in automotive environments.
Demonstrated ability to work independently on complex assignments, manage multiple stakeholders, and connect workstreams across software, diagnostics, compliance, and manufacturing to achieve integrated outcomes.
Excellent organizational and communication skills, capable of providing clear technical breakdowns of current status, risks, and decisions to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Experience working with software and diagnostics teams to deliver technical solutions, including familiarity with software packages, deployment pipelines, diagnostic tooling, and debugging/triage processes in production and test environments.
Proven track record of synthesizing inputs across brands or divisions into actionable insights and structured recommendations for cross-functional teams.
Proactive problem-solving skills with the ability to identify common patterns, optimize workflows, and drive process improvements end to end.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with automotive production development milestones and build planning, including pre-production, launch, and ramp phases.
Experience in multi-brand or global manufacturing and validation environments, ideally involving both legacy and greenfield production or test setups.
Strong project and program management skills, with the ability to structure work, track deliverables and dependencies, and communicate trade-offs and decision points across multiple stakeholders.
Knowledge of manufacturing technologies (MES, PLCs, line automation, test stations), diagnostic systems, and integration of new ECUs and software into existing plants and test environments.
Comfort working within joint-venture or multi-company collaborations, aligning different cultures, processes, and priorities into coherent integration and compliance strategies.

Responsibilities

Define integration strategy and roadmaps for manufacturing, diagnostics, and ECU software across VW Group brands, aligning commissioning activities, build events, test campaigns, and production launch milestones with Rivian and VWGT software delivery plans.
Act as a primary liaison between VW Group brand manufacturing and engineering teams and Rivian/VWGT engineering, deeply understanding commissioning, diagnostics, and compliance needs and translating them into clear technical requirements and timelines.
Provide internal teams with a holistic view and technical breakdown of brand requirements before builds and key test events, ensuring readiness for smooth execution and minimizing late-stage surprises.
Analyze and optimize manufacturing and diagnostic process flows for software-enabled operations; identify pain points, quantify impact, and drive structured resolution plans with the appropriate internal teams.
Collaborate with software and diagnostics teams to track, triage, and resolve integration issues, ensuring the right software packages, configurations, and diagnostic capabilities are delivered to each brand, ECU, and manufacturing site.
Lead or coordinate integration and test activities (e.g., SIL/HIL, subsystem, and vehicle-level validation) for secondary ECUs and related features, ensuring proper coverage, traceability to requirements, and clear defect feedback loops.
Chair regular syncs with brand manufacturing and engineering counterparts to gather requirements, review risks, and communicate integration, diagnostics, and compliance status and deliverable timelines back to Rivian and VWGT teams.
Facilitate integration of new technologies (tooling, diagnostics, automation, analytics, etc.) into manufacturing and test environments across brands, ensuring consistency where it matters and alignment with brand-specific goals where it differs.
Identify common components, platforms, and patterns across brands to standardize and reuse wherever possible, optimizing resource utilization, reducing redundancy, and improving efficiency across manufacturing, diagnostics, and ECU integration.
Partner with onsite Factory Software Integration and test teams to oversee implementation on the line and in labs, rapidly address issues encountered during upgrades or test runs, and ensure lessons learned feed back into strategy and standards.
Use data and KPIs (e.g., commissioning throughput, first-time pass rate, software deployment and diagnostic success rates, defect escape metrics) to measure performance of integration strategies and continuously improve workflows.
Influence cross-functional stakeholders (manufacturing, software, diagnostics, compliance, program management) to align on priorities, trade-offs, and sustainable solutions in a complex, multi-brand environment—often managing multiple inputs and deliverables simultaneously.
Mentor junior engineers and partners (where applicable) on best practices for manufacturing and diagnostics integration, ECU compliance, communication with factory and test teams, and structured problem solving consistent with RIV-5 expectati