Sr. Quality Engineer

Rivian • Normal, IL

30d

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.

We are seeking a proactive and driven Quality Engineer to join our rapidly expanding Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing team. This critical role is responsible for leading the immediate response to customer quality issues, driving rapid containment on the production line, and conducting thorough root-cause analyses to ensure customer satisfaction and enhance the quality of our manufacturing facilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial, Mechatronics, or a related field).
• 4+ years of dedicated quality engineering experience, preferably within automotive or EV manufacturing.
• Production Operations Knowledge - Understanding of complex production lines and urgency of escalation, investigation and resources to operate with production control, material handling, supply chain, engineering, and production team.
• Proven, hands-on experience managing customer complaints and driving containment actions in high-volume production environments.
• Strong working knowledge of core quality tools and standards, including APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC and 8D methodology.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills (8D or similar method problem-solving experience) ~ SIX SIGMA Green
• Excellent communication skills and a demonstrated ability to lead fast-response teams effectively under pressure. Demonstrated project management skills and high level summary for plant quality awareness. Use of JIRA is a Plus
• Must be able to travel at least 20%, travel may increase in time
• This position is subject to cover 1st / 2nd / 3rd shift if needed
• Must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, bilingual is a plus (English / Spanish)
• Team player - ability to work in a fast-paced, highly ambiguous, multi-cultural environment with cross-functional teams

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience with GD&T.
• SIX SIGMA Green Belt is a Plus.
• Use of JIRA is a Plus
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, bilingual is a plus (English / Spanish)

Responsibilities

• Quality Loops Management: Own the end-to-end customer complaint process specifically for EV manufacturing issues (e.g., interiors, exteriors, LVE, chassis, HV). Identify and solve quality issues within our factory quality gates, ensuring defects are contained effectively and fixed with robust corrective actions.
• Rapid Response & Containment: React quickly to quality escalations, initiating and driving immediate containment actions on the shop floor to protect the customer.
• Problem Solving: Lead structured investigations (5D/8D, Kaizen methodology), prepare professional customer-facing reports, and ensure the timely implementation and closure of all corrective actions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinate and lead cross-functional teams, including Production, Engineering, and Supplier Quality, to quickly resolve urgent manufacturing and field quality issues.
• Failure Analysis: Investigate complex component failures using established problem-solving tools (e.g., 5 Why, Fishbone diagrams, Fault Tree Analysis).
• Process Audit: Conduct production line audits to verify the effectiveness of containment actions and prevent defect recurrence.
• Production Support: Provide real-time data analysis and quality feedback to support fast-paced EV production goals.
• Documentation: Update essential quality documents (quality alerts, work instructions, process documents) based on lessons learned from field and manufacturing issues.

Benefits

• Rivian provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Coverage is effective on the first day of employment, and Rivian covers most of the premiums.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees