Sr. Staff Technical Program Manager - Software Systems Architecture

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies•Palo Alto, CA

2d•$213,000 - $292,950

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. RVT vehicles for Volkswagen Group programs combine RVT zonal and platform ECUs with secondary ECUs (2nd ECUs) supplied by the VWG brands. Every RVT domain team has to integrate against those 2nd ECUs, and all of it depends on a shared network interface definition. Today that definition is largely handed to us by VWG and our domains are mainly taking in what they receive. We need to move to a world where each RVT domain owns its interfaces and changes flow incrementally rather than in large releases. You will join the SW Systems Architecture team and partner with the interface architecture leads to run the network interface program inside RVT, drive the transition from consuming VWG's definition to domain owned interfaces, roll out the frameworks the architects define for 2nd ECUs, and give domain teams and leadership one current view of where each 2nd ECU stands. The architects set the technical direction. You turn it into a plan, a cadence and a set of artifacts the organization can execute against.

Requirements

BS or MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a closely related technical field.
8+ years of technical program management on products that integrate hardware, software and mechanical systems, including embedded or vehicle programs taken from concept to production.
Strong organization and the ability to influence and move an organization without direct authority, across every domain team and two parent companies.
Experience planning and driving multi-step transitions of ownership or process across teams while the program keeps moving.
Comfort in ambiguity. You can take a framework from the technical leads, turn it into a working process and artifacts, and iterate as the program evolves.
Enough hands-on software or hardware background to follow architecture discussions and ask the right questions of architects and domain engineers.
Experience bridging Agile and waterfall processes across partner organizations. Advanced Jira and Confluence.

Responsibilities

Own the program plan for taking the RVT network interface to a fully defined and versioned baseline for each VWG program (Package 1, Package 2.1, Package 2.2 and beyond).
Map out and drive the transition plan, per domain and per program, for moving interface ownership from VWG into the RVT domains, including what has to be true at each step and where the interim dependencies on VWG remain.
Document and roll out the workflow the architects define for network interface versioning and change management inside RVT, including how incoming VWG interface changes are reviewed, how deltas reach the domains and how changes get closed out.
Run the domain review cadence for interface changes and chase open items to closure across the domain teams.
Coordinate network definition change requests from VWG, making sure impact is assessed by the right RVT owners and the outcome gets back to VWG.
Roll out the framework the architects define for what has to be captured per 2nd ECU (functional spec, network interface needs, SW and HW version plan, OTA compliance, integration prerequisites), drive the domains to fill it in, and roll up the results.
Maintain the up to date view of 2nd ECU maturity and risk per program that can be escalated to RVT and VWG leadership, and make the gaps visible when information from the brands does not exist.
Operate the handoff between architecture level definition and the active integration tracking owned by the domain and program TPM teams.
Set up the forums, status rhythm and documentation for this area, and act as the point of contact for VWG TPM counterparts on networking and 2nd ECU planning.