Sr. Manager, Test & Development Vehicle Engineering Labs

About Rivian

Rivianis 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.

Role Summary

In the Sr. Manager, Test & Development Vehicle Engineering Labs role, you will oversee the operation of testing labs that are dedicated to validating various attributes that are inherent to Rivian’s vehicles. You will manage a team to both operate and maintain the test systems, all while delivering actionable test data to internal customers. Focus in this position will be placed on ensuring testing efficiency, data quality, and the continuous advancement of testing capabilities.

This role requires a high level of motivation, as well as an understanding of dynamo meters, thermal test chamber control systems, testing methodology, and product development cycles in a fast-paced development environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage a strong, cross-functional team across multiple locations and time zones; with expertise in vehicle-level testing to run labs focused on range & efficiency, full vehicle electrodynamic vibratory and thermal testing.
• Collaborate and coordinate with teams on their upcoming test requests to gain alignment on capabilities, procedures, and expected results.
• Schedule upcoming testing in accordance with company priorities and product development timelines.
• Develop and document procedures for these new labs as it pertains to test execution, safety, maintenance, and calibration of equipment.
• Review upcoming product roadmap and proactively assemble resources required for future testing.
• Ensure test results are accurate and actionable, enabling domain owners to drive improvements to vehicle performance and controls.
• Maintain operational readiness and maximize uptime of testing equipment.
• Define requirements needed to perform testing of benchmark vehicles.

Qualifications

Must Have:

• Education:
  
  Bachelor of Science (or higher) in Mechanical Engineering or another related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of prior experience working with dynamo meters (chassis and/or engine).
• Ability and interest to travel – 25% to remote locations (out of California), 25–50% split coverage across multiple southern California test locations.
• Hands‑on experience testing electric vehicles.
• Working knowledge of various types of test instrumentation and data acquisition systems.
• A proven history of project leadership, team management, and delivering consistent results.
• Familiarity with standardized test protocols such as EPA guidelines.
• Problem solving skills and willingness to actively engage in the troubleshooting of issues.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Minimum age of 21.
• No driving‑related suspensions or revocation of Driver License (within a 3–5 year period).
• No drug or alcohol related driving incidents in the last 3 years.
• No more than 1 serious moving violation in the last 3 years.
• Must have a valid driver’s license in the state of residence that you will be driving/operating a vehicle.
• Will be subject to continuous Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) monitoring.

Preferred:

• Experience with AVL systems (PUMA & Concerto).
• Proficient with JAMA, JIRA, and Confluence tools.
• Experience operating and testing prototype vehicles.

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $,000 for Southern California based applicants. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, shift, and organizational needs.

The successful candidate may be eligible for annual performance bonus and equity awards.

We offer a comprehensive package of…