Sr. Systems Engineer - Climate Control

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. The Thermal Control System Team develops requirements and facilitates algorithm development to optimize thermal management for powertrains, battery packs using heat pumps, and cabin HVAC systems. In this role, you will collaborate closely with designers, engineers, manufacturing teams, firmware developers, and service personnel, leveraging your expertise in climate control to define requirements for embedded software implementation.

Requirements

BS / MS in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
Experience in software architecture and requirement management tools (JAMA, DOORS, etc.)
Foundation in heat transfer and thermodynamics, with familiarity in heat exchangers, blowers, fans, air control valves and their subsystem interactions
Proficient in control systems fundamentals and their application to the thermal/ HVAC domain is required
Knowledge and experience in automotive or building climate control system and air flow controls development
Understanding of aspects of human thermal comfort and its application to controlling HVAC systems
Strong analytical skills with experience handling large datasets in MATLAB/Python; familiarity with C/C++ is a plus
Proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally, engage in hands-on work, and manage open-ended projects in fast-paced, resource-constrained environments

Responsibilities

Act as systems engineer to develop requirements and drive the development of software for automotive climate control system
Use modeling tools to model the thermodynamic behavior and human comfort aspects of an automotive HVAC system
Collaborate with hardware engineering to develop framework and requirements for control software development
Translate high-level feature requests into detailed controller software, sensor, and actuator requirements, driving implementation, testing, and release
Research and analyze various control algorithms; develop control-oriented simulation models to refine control strategies
Create and maintain system boundary diagrams, function allocation documents, state machines, sequence diagrams, and failure analysis