Sr. Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Power Electronics

Rivian•Carson, CA

11h•Onsite

About The Position

As a Sr. Staff Manufacturing Engineer for Power Electronics, you will serve as the principal technical authority bridging internal Design Release Engineers (DREs), Manufacturing Engineering (ME), and external supplier/Contract Manufacturer (CM) partners. You will ensure that future suppliers are rigorously vetted and that their manufacturing capabilities, processes, and equipment setups are sufficiently robust, reliable, and scalable before sourcing decisions and design locks are finalized. In this role, you will evaluate and vet suppliers manufacturing critical power electronics components, including high pressure die-cast housings, high-voltage busbars, LV/HV headers, seals, DC link capacitors, metal brackets, EMI filter cores, and power modules used across traction inverters, DC charging power electronics modules, and energy management control units (EMCUs). Additionally, you will drive DFM/DFx reviews, partner with automation/equipment integrators on process development, validate equipment capability (Cp/Cpk, GR&R), and support pilot line stand-up through full NPI and production ramp.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering or a related engineering discipline; Master’s degree preferred
8+ years of progressive engineering experience in manufacturing engineering, supplier industrialization, or DFM roles, with a focus on high-volume automation, precision assembly, and tooling development
Proven track record vetting, auditing, and managing external suppliers, contract manufacturers (CMs), and equipment integrators
Hands-on process engineering experience with precision joining (laser welding, dispensing, heat staking, mechanical fasteners), thermal interface material (TIM) application, high-pressure die casting, and injection molding
Deep experience in manufacturing process verification, including equipment capability testing, GR&R, run-at-rate audits, and statistical process control (SPC)
Expert command of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and a track record developing tolerance stack-up analysis for complex power electronics assemblies
Familiarity with failure analysis techniques (e.g., X-Ray, CSAM, SEM, EDS, Cross-Sectioning)
Demonstrated ability to lead structured root-cause analysis (8D, Fishbone, 5-whys) on complex field and manufacturing failures
Experience working with high-voltage automotive power electronics assemblies (e.g.,traction inverters, electrified powertrains, EMCUs, DC fast charging modules, or battery systems)
Excellent cross-functional leadership, negotiation, and communication skills to influence external partners and internal engineering teams
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally to support supplier audits, CM activities, and equipment commissioning
Familiarity with 3D CAD software (CATIA V5/V6 preferred)

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end technical vetting, auditing, and approval of potential suppliers, CMs, and equipment integrators. Conduct process capability evaluations, run-at-rate audits, and facility reviews (on candidate line setups or equivalent production lines) to prove supplier capability matches ramp plans prior to sourcing
Work side by side with mechanical design engineers to optimize power electronics assemblies for producibility, establish vendor-aligned design rules, reduce BOM cost and complexity, and resolve process risks prior to design freeze
Evaluate and validate manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixtures across core supplier components, including high-pressure die castings, HV/LV headers and busbars, seals, DC link capacitors, metal brackets, EMI filter cores, and power modules
Lead technical reviews of machine requirements and equipment designs with third-party automation suppliers. Drive formal equipment qualification processes, including system correlation, process capability analysis, and Gage Repeatability & Reproducibility (GR&R)
Partner with internal manufacturing teams and sourced integrators on pilot line setups, shop layout optimization, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and line handover for next-generation power electronics production lines (e.g.,900V EMCU and SPIM)
Lead architecture reviews and design phase gate decisions, ensuring solutions are scalable, manufacturable and aligned with program objectives
Design and engineer complex subsystems including high-pressure die castings, injection-molded plastics, busbars, sheet metal, HV/LV harnesses, sealing interfaces and PCBA mechanical integration
Own the full mechanical release cycle in ENOVIA, governing data integrity, design maturity and BOM accuracy across multiple concurrent programs
Drive weekly technical reviews with suppliers to resolve open design items, enforce DFM alignment, and maintain delivery commitments
Act as the senior technical escalation point for Supplier Quality on critical path issues
Support the generation of high-impact engineering documents including Component Technical Specifications (CTS), Statements of Work (SOW), system-level DFMEAs, and assembly manuals
Implement data-driven methodologies for workmanship, maintenance, process controls, and end-to-end data retention/traceability. Drive yield improvement initiatives and eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks to ensure supplier capacity meets demand
Lead structured root-cause and corrective action investigations (8D, 5-Whys) for process and prototype failures, leveraging advanced analytical failure techniques (e.g., Optical Inspection, X-Ray, Cross-Sectioning, SEM)
Function as a technical program bridge across ME, testing, DREs, Supply Chain, and executive leadership to align program schedules, manage risks, and ensure transparent status reporting