Staff Hardware Platform Board Engineer (Infotainment)

Rivian • Palo Alto, CA

7h

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.

As an Infotainment/Connectivity Hardware Platform Engineer, you will be responsible for the design, development, and validation of advanced hardware platforms specifically engineered to enable early software development and mitigate architectural risks for our future infotainment and connectivity systems. This is a hands-on role that requires a deep understanding of embedded systems, high-speed digital design, and a strong ability to collaborate cross-functionally with software, system, and validation teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in hardware design and development, preferably in automotive infotainment, consumer electronics, aerospace or data centers.
• Proven experience in designing and bringing up complex multi-layer PCBs for high-speed digital applications.
• Strong proficiency in schematic capture and PCB layout tools (e.g., Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro).
• Deep understanding of signal integrity, power integrity, and EMI/EMC principles.
• Experience with various communication protocols (e.g., Ethernet, CAN, LIN, USB, PCIe, SERDES, MIPI CSI/DSI, DisplayPort).
• Hands-on experience with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers.
• Familiarity with embedded software development processes and debugging tools.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a methodical approach to debugging.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively in a cross-functional team environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with SoC down-selection processes for product development, including defining requirements, evaluating vendor roadmaps, and making informed decisions.
• Ability to conduct comprehensive trade studies for hardware architectures and component selection, considering factors such as performance, power, cost, reliability, and time-to-market.
• Proven experience working directly with or for SoC vendors and manufacturers, including managing technical relationships, understanding their product offerings, and influencing future roadmaps.
• Familiarity with SoC development lifecycles, including silicon bring-up, validation, and production ramp-up.
• Strong understanding of intellectual property (IP) blocks commonly found in SoCs (e.g., CPU cores, GPUs, DSPs, security engines, video encoders/decoders).

Responsibilities

• Conceptualization & Design: Lead the architectural definition and detailed design of in-house development boards, considering requirements from software/hardware architecture and product teams.
• Schematic Capture & Layout: Develop comprehensive schematics and guide PCB layout engineers to ensure optimal performance, signal integrity, and power delivery for complex digital and analog circuits.
• Component Selection: Evaluate and select appropriate SoCs, memory, high-speed transceivers, power management ICs, and other components, considering performance, cost, and availability.
• Prototyping & Bring-up: Oversee the fabrication of development boards and lead the initial bring-up and debugging efforts, ensuring all hardware functionalities are verified.
• Collaboration: Work closely with software engineers to define hardware-software interfaces, debug issues, and optimize performance. Collaborate with system architects to translate high-level requirements into feasible hardware designs.
• Documentation: Create detailed design specifications, test reports, and other technical documentation.
• Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis: Diagnose and resolve complex hardware issues, utilizing various debugging tools and methodologies.
• Stay Current: Keep abreast of the latest advancements in automotive electronics, infotainment technologies, and relevant industry standards.

Benefits

• Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26.

What This Job Offers

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