Staff Battery Systems Engineer

Rivian•Tustin, CA

9h•Onsite

About The Position

Join Rivian as a Staff Engineer within the ESS Product Excellence team, based in our Franklin office. In this role, you will drive the sustaining engineering of HV battery systems that are already in production, with a heavy focus on field performance analysis, reliability, and service issue mitigation. You will also play a key role in closing the loop between field/production learning and future product development by providing lessons learned and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) input into next-generation battery designs. If you are a self-starter with strong battery systems expertise, a passion for diagnosing complex issues in the field, and a desire to shape the design of our future products, we want to hear from you. Help us keep the world adventurous forever.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in Battery, Automotive, Aerospace, or related industries, with significant exposure to HV battery systems, field performance, or failure analysis.
A bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline (e.g., Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Automotive, or related). An advanced degree is a plus.
Previous experience with product launches, production schedules, and release engineering (including CAD design, GD&T, and PLM interface).
Mechanical engineering experience required, electronics / controls experience a plus
Passion for working on products that involve the intersection of mechanical, electrical, and software engineering
Strong understanding of HV battery system architecture, including cells, modules, pack, contactors, pyros, sensing, cooling, BMS hardware/software, and vehicle interfaces.
Demonstrated experience with field issue root cause analysis, including use of telematics, warranty, and diagnostic data to drive corrective and preventive actions.
Working knowledge of battery diagnostics and prognostics, including DTC strategies, state-of-charge/health estimation, imbalance detection, and fault handling.
Familiarity with DFM/DFS/DFR principles, production test strategies (e.g., End-of-Line), and their relationship to field performance and reliability.
Solid understanding of high-voltage safety and safe work practices in both lab and field environments.
Excellent problem-solving skills, grounded in core engineering principles, first-principles reasoning, and structured root cause methodologies.
Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a strong sense of ownership, urgency, and follow-through from problem identification to implemented solution.
Experience working in cross-functional teams, with the ability to bridge design, manufacturing, service, and reliability perspectives.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to simplify complex technical topics for diverse audiences.
Familiarity with issue tracking and project management tools (e.g., Jira, etc.).

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree is a plus.
electronics / controls experience a plus
Proficiency using CAN/Ethernet tools for debugging purposes a plus
Background with CATIA V6 (3Dx) CAD Design and Enovia a plus

Responsibilities

Drive sustaining engineering for in-production HV battery systems
Serve as a technical expert for HV battery packs in series production, with primary focus on field performance, reliability, and serviceability.
Act as a key liaison between Service, Reliability, Reman, FAME, Plant ME/PE/Ops, Supplier Quality, and Product Development to drive durable solutions to battery issues observed in the field and at service centers.
Maintain a system-level view of how hardware, BMS software, diagnostics, and vehicle usage patterns interact to impact customer experience.
Lead field performance analysis and service issue mitigation
Analyze field, warranty, and ongoing reliability test data to detect trends, characterize emerging failure modes, and quantify risk to customers and the business.
Lead root cause investigations for HV battery-related field and service issues (e.g., no-start, reduced performance, diagnostic trouble codes, degradation anomalies), driving permanent corrective and preventive actions.
Partner closely with Service Engineering and Technical Support to define, refine, and validate diagnostic strategies, service procedures, and repair paths, ensuring they are robust, efficient, and safe for field execution.
Support prioritization and validation of field actions (e.g., service campaigns, software updates, component changes) and clearly communicate risk/benefit trade-offs to cross-functional stakeholders.
Drive DFM, serviceability, and remanufacturing improvements
Provide lessons learned and DFM feedback from field and production back into battery architecture, component selection, and integration strategies for current and future programs.
Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering, Reman, and Supplier Quality to improve build robustness, yield, rework/repair strategies, and remanufacturing flows for HV battery assemblies.
Influence design decisions to improve service access, diagnostic coverage, component modularity, and repairability, minimizing customer downtime and total cost of ownership.
Contribute to new product and control system strategy
Partner with the new product design teams to ensure that issues observed on current products inform requirements, architecture, and test strategies for upcoming battery platforms.
Work with BMS and Controls Engineers to refine diagnostic and prognostic algorithms, thresholds, and fault handling logic to improve early detection, containment, and customer transparency.
Support the development and maturation of cross-functional processes (PD, ME, Ops, Service, Reliability, Reman) that tie together design, manufacturing, and field data to accelerate problem detection and resolution.
Elevate technical rigor and cross-functional communication
Analyze test and field data, author clear technical reports, and present findings and recommendations to engineering leadership and cross-functional partners.
Create and maintain system-level documentation (e.g., requirements, DFMEAs inputs, fault trees, test plans/summary reports) that connect observed issues back to design and process controls.
Mentor and coach other engineers in structured problem solving, data-driven decision making, and best practices in battery systems sustaining engineering.