Sr. Thermal DRE

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. 

The role of Sr. Thermal Engineer is to interface internally with Body, Studio, Packaging, Attributes, NVH, Aerodynamics, CAE, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, working with Tier 1’s on design and manufacturing thermal components for mass production release. Components specifically supported in this role HVAC, ORFM, AGS. The position will be on site based in Plymouth Michigan.

● Design and release of mass production thermal system components, HVAC modules, HVAC Air intake ducts, ORFM (Outside heat-exchanger, Radiator Fan module), brackets
● Interface with Body, Studio, Packaging, Attributes, NVH, Aerodynamics, and CAE engineering to ensure optimal design and integration for aerodynamic and range efficiency; b) Support supply chain with engineering requirements throughout quotation and sourcing; c) Interface with suppliers on design, release, tooling, and validation; d) Support critical program milestones and build events, e.g. Virtual Release, Virtual Build, Design Verification Build, Manufacturing Verification Build, etc
● Engineering Specification, Design Verification, & Production Verification plans for thermal components for future vehicles
● Develop/Review foundation documents as required, including risk assessment/management, DFMEA, PFMEA, and Functional Safety
● Interface with Plant Quality Engineers, Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, General Assembly and ensure all Design for Manufacturing and Design for Assembly standards are met

● Minimum BSME degree in mechanical/automotive engineering
● 10+ years of experience related to Thermal component design, release, and production launch, maintenance: cost reduction/quality improvement
● OEM/Tier 1 experience on Thermal components (HVACs/Ducts/heat-exchangers)
● Proficiency in CAD for design and release; CATIA V6 preferred
● Knowledge on thermal, mechanical, NVH, durability, corrosion, and electrical requirements for Thermal components and refrigerant cycle
● Experience on at least one full product cycle from concept creation to mass production
● Ability to work and communicate effectively with peers and leadership
● Ability to work independently and proactively in fast-paced environment
● Experience on heat pump technology and development required

● Experience with Future refrigerants and secondary loop systems (R290, Blends) a strong plus
● Ability to work with hands on experience is a plus
● Travel will be required occasionally to suppliers (International included), Our manufacturing plant in Normal Illinois, and headquarters in Irvine California

Salary Range Michigan-Based Applicants: $98,500-$123,100 (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, and other factors permitted by law).

Equal Opportunity

Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Rivian is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at  View email address on ev.careers .

Candidate Data Privacy and Technology

Rivian may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

Rivian may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian affiliates; and (iii) Rivian’s service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions. 

How We Use AI in Our Hiring Process: To ensure transparency, we want candidates to know that Rivian uses iCIMS Talent Cloud Artificial Intelligence (TCAI) and AI-enabled tools to assist with screening, reviewing, organizing and highlighting profiles and applications that match the key requirements for each role.

AI does not make hiring decisions: Qualified candidate applications are reviewed by a member of our team, and all decisions throughout the process are made by humans. We use AI to support efficiency and consistency, not to replace human judgment. We are committed to a fair, thoughtful, and equitable experience for every candidate.

Participation in AI profile matching is entirely voluntary. If you prefer that your profile not be used in this process, you can opt out at any time. Opting out means your profile will be excluded from automated matching and will not be surfaced for additional roles through this system. Your current application remains active and will not be affected in any way.

Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.