Sr. Thermal Controls Test & Integration Engineer - Rivian and VW Group Technology

About Us:

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.  

 

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

Role Summary:

We are seeking a dedicated and innovative Thermal Controls Engineer to join our software development team. This role is integral to the development and integration of control systems for various vehicle features, including cabin cooling, cabin heating, battery cooling, battery heating, and actuator control development. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in electrical or mechanical engineering, with a focus on automotive or aerospace control systems.

Responsibilities:

• Architect and develop control systems for various vehicle subsystems such as refrigeration, coolant, external airflow, and HVAC to be executed on embedded controllers

• Review requirements and produce high-level functional specification designs to offer control solutions.

• Create test cases and scripts to validate features in unit test, Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) test, and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) test environments.

• Conduct software testing and calibration on vehicles.

• Develop intuitive diagnostic interfaces for controllers to facilitate troubleshooting and maintenance.

• Utilize a multidisciplinary approach to troubleshoot functional problems within our vehicles by addressing root causes across physical, electrical, and software domains.

• Prioritize and escalate issues based on user impact and program objectives for prompt resolution.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or mechanical engineering

• 3+ years of experience working with controls development, integration, or calibration - automotive or aerospace experience preferred

• Knowledgeable about control theory principles & algorithm design like compensator design and PID tuning

• Familiar with fundamentals of heat transfer and thermodynamics

• Familiar with thermal and HVAC components including but not limited to water pumps, AC compressors, expansion valves, blower fans, and HVAC modules

• Development experience using C, C++, Rust, and/or Python

• Working experience in firmware integration, calibration, vehicle-level testing, and/or SW debugging at the feature level

• Working experience with requirements management tools (Jama, Doors, or equivalent) preferred

• Working experience with issue tracking tools (Jira or equivalent) preferred

• Working experience with communication bus monitoring tools (Vector CANalyzer or equivalent) preferred

• Working experience with software calibration tools (Vector CANape, ETAS INCA, or equivalent) preferred

• Working experience with developing automated test cases in the unit testing, SIL, and/or HIL environment; Pytest, OpenHTF, or equivalent experience preferred

• Willingness to travel up to 20% as required

Pay Disclosure:

Salary Range for California (Palo Alto) Based Applicants: $146,900-$183,600 (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).

 

Salary Range for California (Irvine) Based Applicants: $135,100-$168,900 (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).

 

Benefits Summary: Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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.

Company Statements:

Equal Opportunity

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. 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. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

 

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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.

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian and VW Group Technologies (“Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies”) 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services. 

 

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, 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.