Staff Technical Program Manager, Autonomy (AI/ML)

About Rivian 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. Role Summary The Autonomy TPM team plays a key role in driving the most important initiatives within the Autonomy organization at Rivian. If you are looking for a team that just takes notes or is just a scrum master, this is not it. We are here to execute cross‑functional projects that a) require tight coordination and dependencies, involving everything from sense and compute HW, Perception & Pose (heavily reliant on ML), Planning & Controls, Infrastructure & Simulation (critical for ML model training/validation), Systems Definition, Integration & Triage, etc., and b) need to be delivered in order to build a great Autonomy product. Responsibilities Lead programs consisting of cutting edge technology projects, particularly ones that intersect with hardware, software, and regulatory constraints. Exercise strong ownership over programs they lead, including diving into the technical details to drive smooth execution and briefing the VP of Autonomy & AI on progress and risks. Drive pragmatic decisions and tradeoffs to maximize probability of hitting critical timelines, considering factors unique to ML projects such as model iteration speed, data annotation pipelines, and compute resource allocation. Manage ambiguity by presenting options with a clear point of view for leadership, particularly concerning feature readiness, evaluation metrics, and performance trade‑offs. Understand the role of TPM as an insider/outsider, someone who drives accountability through influence and soft power rather than hard power and authority. Mentor other TPMs on the team and help them grow their craft as TPMs, sharing expertise in managing ML‑centric technical programs. Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience, with a strong foundation in areas relevant to AI/ML. Experience in Technical Program Management on deep tech products or equivalent, specifically managing programs involving AI/ML components and data pipelines. Hands on experience with ML‑based products including evaluation with metrics driven analysis. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate to external partner organizations to drive shared outcomes for Rivian, especially when collaborating on data sharing, model deployment, or platform integration related to AI/ML. Bonus Qualifications Experience with Autonomy systems, Robotaxis, and/or Robotics, particularly involving the integration and management of complex AI/ML models. ML development in resource‑constrained environments, demonstrating an understanding of the practical challenges of deploying ML on automotive‑grade hardware. You enjoy prototyping random side projects in your spare time, ideally related to AI/ML or robotics. Pay Disclosure Salary Range for California Based Applicants: $167,400-$209,300 (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law). Benefits Summary: Rivian provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full‑time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Coverage is effective on the first day of employment. 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 click.appcast.io. 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. 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