Staff Software Engineer, Connected Middleware & OTA Architecture

Rivian and VW Group Technology•Vancouver, WA

51d

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 Staff Software Engineer – OTA will play a strategic and technical leadership role in shaping the architecture, scalability, and security of Over-the-Air (OTA) software update systems for next-generation connected vehicles. You will define the end-to-end architecture for OTA middleware, mentor senior engineers, and serve as a key technical liaison across embedded, cloud, and security teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, a relevant technical field or equivalent practical experience.
Proficiency in Rust and C/C++ for systems-level development.
Expertise building and scaling middleware, distributed systems, or connected vehicle software platforms.
Experience with building high-performance and low-latency systems in large-scale environments.
Experience with OTA systems in automotive, IoT, or embedded domains.
Experience in systems-level design and architecture.
Experience leading and influencing cross-functional teams as well as mentoring junior engineers.

Nice To Haves

7+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 2 years in a technical leadership or Staff/Principal-level role.
Experience with networking protocols (e.g., HTTP, MQTT, TCP/IP), OTA frameworks, and secure software update strategies.
Experience with software security, cryptographic principles, and secure boot mechanisms.
Experience with automotive safety standards (e.g., ISO 26262, ASPICE).
Experience using CI/CD pipelines tailored for OTA workflows and automotive-grade deployments.
Experience with cloud services (e.g., AWS, Azure) and vehicle communication protocols (e.g., CAN, UDS, DoIP).
Experience with communications protocols like websocket and gRPC
Experience with systems debugging, production, and monitoring tools such as Datadog and Amazon CloudWatch.

Responsibilities

Define and evolve the end-to-end architecture for OTA middleware systems, ensuring modularity, extensibility, and long-term scalability.
Set engineering best practices for system reliability, security, and performance.
Design and implement core OTA middleware components and services, with deep consideration for fault tolerance, state management, and data integrity.
Build APIs and robust communication frameworks between in-vehicle systems and cloud platforms.
Work cross-functionally with embedded, cloud, cybersecurity, compliance, and product teams to drive OTA integration and alignment across the stack.
Champion security-first design in all OTA communications, ensuring alignment with industry standards (e.g., ISO 21434, ISO 26262) and regulatory requirements.
Act as a technical mentor and advisor for other engineers, guiding code quality, design decisions, and career development.
Drive observability and operational excellence through monitoring, diagnostics, and incident response improvements.
Make strategic technical decisions and conduct design reviews across multiple teams and domains.

Benefits

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26.
Full Time Employee coverage is effective on the first day of employment.
Part-Time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment.

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