Staff Mechanical Design Engineer

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. 

As the staff mechanical engineer, you will execute the design of our next-generation Traction Inverter Modules from initial concept through mass production. You will be responsible for designing multiple critical components including busbars, metal housings, sealing interfaces, HV/LV harnesses, stampings and PCBAs, from the ground up. This role requires close collaboration with cross-functional teams and suppliers to resolve complex packaging and manufacturing challenges in a dynamic environment.

This position is based at our Carson, CA facility and reports directly to the Mechanical Engineering Director.

• Lead the mechanical development of Traction Inverter Modules using CATIA V6/3DEXPERIENCE
• Design and engineer a wide array of components, including high-pressure die castings, injection-molded plastics, busbars, sheet metal, high/low voltage harnesses, sealing interfaces, and PCBA mechanical integration
• Manage the full release cycle of mechanical components using ENOVIA, ensuring data integrity and design maturity
• Generate and maintain complex Top-Level Assembly Bills of Materials (BOM), ensuring all component attributes are captured with 100% accuracy
• Drive weekly technical reviews with suppliers to close open design items, manage timelines, and ensure DFM (Design for Manufacturing) alignment
• Act as the primary technical liaison for Supply Chain and Supplier Quality teams to resolve action items and maintain production schedules
• Author critical engineering documents, including Component Technical Specifications (CTS), Statements of Work (SOW) for sourcing, and detailed assembly manuals
• Lead the creation of DFMEAs and develop robust Design Verification (DV) test plans to ensure long-term product reliability
• Provide on-site support for pre-production lines, including the design of specialized mechanical test fixtures and assembly aids
• Collaborate closely with Manufacturing Engineering to design, validate, and commission the production line on schedule
• Lead troubleshooting efforts for issues arising during prototype builds and scale-up
• Spearhead the root cause investigation of field failures related to mechanical assemblies, implementing design improvements to prevent recurrence

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline
• 6+ years of engineering experience specifically in the development and packaging of Power Electronics assemblies
• Expert-level proficiency in CATIA V5 or V6 (3DEXPERIENCE), specifically within Part Design and Assembly Design workbenches
• Proven track record designing for diverse processes, including high-pressure die casting, injection molding, and sheet metal fabrication
• Deep experience in the design of high-voltage busbars, HV/LV wire harnesses and sealing/gasket systems
• Practical knowledge of integrating components using laser welding, press-fit, soldering, heat staking and thermal interface materials (TIM)
• High proficiency in GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and experience developing DFMEA documents and system-level validation plans (Mechanical, Electrical, and Thermal)
• Working knowledge of the ENOVIA Product Lifecycle Management environment
• Extensive experience managing external technical suppliers, ensuring quality and timeline adherence
• Demonstrated ability to use structured root-cause analysis techniques to identify and resolve complex component failures
• General knowledge of mechanical best practices for PCBAdesign and integration.
• Prior experience in the Automotive industry (Tier 1 or OEM).
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project, Visio, and the standard Office suite.

The salary range for this role is USD 137,800-172,200 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 benefits for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26, including but not limited to paid vacation, paid sick leave, and a competitive portfolio of insurance benefits including life, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance to eligible employees. You may also have the opportunity to participate in Rivian’s 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program if you meet certain eligibility requirements. Full-time employee coverage is effective on their first day of employment. Part-time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment. More information about benefits is available at  rivianbenefits.com . 

You can apply for this role through  careers.rivian.com (or through  internal-careers-rivian.icims.com if you are a current employee). This job is not expected to be closed any sooner than February 6, 2026.

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

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. 

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