Sr. Battery Safety and Abuse Engineer, Thermal

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 a Sr. Battery Safety and Abuse Engineer, Thermal, within Rivian's Battery Test and Validation team in Tustin, CA, you will be responsible for developing and executing advanced thermal safety and abuse testing for high-voltage battery systems. This role is critical to ensuring Rivian's innovative battery products meet the highest standards for safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. You will work cross-functionally with design, validation, and other teams to develop, implement, and continuously improve test methods and protocols for electrical abuse scenarios. You will also play a key role in root cause analysis, risk assessment, and the development of safety countermeasures for battery systems

• Lead the planning, execution, and analysis of thermal safety and abuse tests on battery modules, packs, and components
• Develop and refine test plans, procedures, and acceptance criteria in alignment with regulatory standards (e.g., UN38.3, FMVSS, IEC, UL) and Rivian's internal safety requirements
• Collaborate with design, validation, and safety engineering teams to define safety-critical requirements and ensure robust test coverage for new and existing battery architectures
• Support Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Design Verification Plan & Report (DVP&R), and root cause investigations for safety-related incidents or test failures
• Analyze test data, generate detailed technical reports, and present findings and recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders
• Drive continuous improvement in test methodologies, documentation, and data quality for electrical abuse and safety testing
• Mentor and train junior engineers and technicians in safe work practices, test execution, and data analysis
• Support the development and commissioning of new test facilities, equipment, and instrumentation for advanced abuse testing
• Participate in cross-functional development groups to drive new design innovations through testing and lessons learned
• Stay current with industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging best practices in battery safety and abuse testing

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering preferred; Electrical Engineering,or a related field acceptable with relevant experience
• 5+ years of relevant experience in battery safety, abuse testing, or high-voltage systems, preferably in the automotive or energy storage industry
• Strong first principles understanding of battery failure modes, underlying physics, and governing equations
• Hands-on experience with battery test equipment (test cyclers, isolation meters, high- speed DAQ, CAN tools, thermal chambers, etc.) and data analysis software
• Familiarity with FMEA, DVP&R, and root cause analysis methodologies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document and present technical findings to diverse audiences
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and learning agility
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Willingness to work flexible hours and travel as needed (up to 30% domestic and international travel may be required)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with battery pack design, BMS, and integration in electric vehicles.
• Experience with thermal runaway propagation testing and mitigation strategies
• Familiarity with advanced data analysis, scripting, or automation tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, LabView, JMP).
• Certification or advanced training in electrical safety (e.g., NFPA 70E, OSHA, or equivalent).
• Prior experience working on heat transfer problems, combustion, gas flow analysis, energetic materials, or battery thermal abuse
• Experience using statistical tools such as hypothesis testing, calculating sample sizes, and developing predictive numerical models

The salary range for this role is USD 98,500 - 123,100 for 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 20, 2026.

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 candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.

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.