Reliability Engineer at Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies in Irvine, CA

Job description

About Us 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. Role Summary As a reliability engineer for the RivianVW joint venture, you will play a key role in developing the next generation of low-voltage electric architectures. You will provide guidance on upcoming ECU designs to ensure they meet vehicle mission and reliability targets. If one of your first instincts when looking at a complex electronic design is "what are the ways this thing can fail, and how do we make it better?", this role is built for you. Responsibilities • As a Design-for-Reliability (DfR) Engineer for low-voltage electronics, you will drive product reliability for vehicle control, connected car, and self-driving systems from concept through production. • Serve as the primary DfR expert for hardware design and architecture teams, establishing design guidelines, identifying electronic failure modes, and defining standard countermeasures. • Develop validation strategies, physics-of-failure-based reliability specifications, and accelerated testing methods to expand reliability margins and stress design boundaries. • Lead root-cause failure investigations using first-principles thinking, collaborating with internal engineering teams, suppliers, and failure analysis laboratories to define and verify corrective actions. • Audit Contract Manufacturers on-site during development phases to ensure DFMEA and PFMEA recommendations are properly implemented. • Analyze fleet and field data to proactively detect emerging risks, using insights to inform design standards for future Electronic Control Unit (ECU) programs. Qualifications • Bachelor of Science in an engineering discipline or equivalent. Level of Role depends on experience and qualifications. A strong technical background is needed in the following areas: • Technical understanding of PCBA, electronics, or control systems, including failure modes, reliability specification development, design guidelines, electronics themal management, and interconnects. • Understanding of the FMEA process (DFMEA/PFMEA), with willingness to facilitate FMEAs and lead cross-functional teams. • Working knowledge of a coding language, preferably Python. • Working knowledge of statistical software for reliability, such as JMP or the ReliaSoft suite, including Weibull analysis. • Understanding of Highly Accelerated Testing methods and the governing equations for different failure mechanisms; expertise in accelerated-life-test development methods a plus. • Working knowledge of failure analysis techniques such as optical microscopy, SEM, CT, X-Ray, EDS, TDR. Total Rewards We build the exceptional — and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to a competitive base salary, full-time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program. Payments are discretionary and not guaranteed; actual amounts depend on company results and the terms of the plan in effect, and require active employment at the time of payout. This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), subject to board approval and the terms of our equity incentive plans, including applicable vesting requirements. In addition to our compensation programs, we invest in our people with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, wellbeing, and financial future for full-time employees — inclu