Staff Lighting Design & Release Engineer

Rivian•Irvine, CA

About The Position

As a member of the Rivian Lighting team, you will act as the technical lead and primary authority for the development and sign-off of innovative lighting solutions from concept through mass production. You will drive the delivery of high-performing and sustainable solutions by defining rigorous part requirements and bridging the gap between Studio, Engineering, and Suppliers. In this role, you will play a key part in shaping innovation while fostering a culture of trust and continuous improvement within the company.

Requirements

Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Or related discipline, Masters degree preferred)
7+ years (preferred) of Exterior/interior Lamp development at a Tier 1 or OEM
Capable of managing the full part lifecycle, including design, engineering validation, and release to production systems.
Proficient in CATIA V5/V6, utilizing key modules like Part Design and Geometric Surface Design to generate 3D geometry, sectional data, and communicate technically sound design solutions.
Strong understanding of engineering first principles and the ability to apply them to identify, analyze, and resolve technical challenges.
Demonstrated ability to manage information, prioritize tasks, and communicate project status with clarity.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly and concisely communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences.
Strong working knowledge of FMVSS, ECE, NCAP and other automotive evaluation and regulatory achievement
Ability to self-direct while managing ambiguity.
Curiosity and high learning agility.

Nice To Haves

Masters degree preferred

Responsibilities

Design and develop exterior and interior lighting solutions for Rivian vehicles, translating aesthetic styling visions into feasible, production-ready designs from concept through production, ensuring performance, timing, and commercial requirements are achieved.
Collaborate and communicate technical concepts and requirements effectively with Studio Designers, Suppliers, Manufacturing, and other cross-functional teams to achieve design themes, attribute targets, and resolve complex engineering issues.
Leverage expertise in plastics, injection molding, optical design, GD&T principles, tolerance stack-up analysis, and electronics to solve complex technical problems and evaluate design trade-offs using first-principles reasoning and root-cause analysis, ensuring all parts and assemblies are optimized for high-volume manufacturing.
Lead the development and creations of DFMEAs ensuring that dependencies are effectively cascaded to relevant cross-functional partners.
Create product validation plans, coordinate validation activities and sign off results.
Manage Tier 1 supplier relationships including RFQ documentation, technical design reviews, and the integration of supplier feedback.
Manage engineering change management, maintain accurate Bill of Materials (BOM) using Enovia, and generate and manage 3D and 2D data with Catia V6.
Align engineering deliverables with commercial program requirements including appearance, cost, weight, durability, legal requirements, and program timing objectives.
Exhibit “Rivian Compass” values in everything you do.