Lighting Design & Release Engineer

Position: Staff Lighting Design & Release Engineer
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 As a member of the Rivian Lighting team, you will act as the technical lead and primary authority for the development and sign-off of innovative lighting solutions from concept through mass production. You will drive the delivery of high-performing and sustainable solutions by defining rigorous part requirements and bridging the gap between Studio, Engineering, and Suppliers.

In this role, you will play a key part in shaping innovation while fostering a culture of trust and continuous improvement within the company. Responsibilities Design and develop exterior and interior lighting solutions for Rivian vehicles, translating aesthetic styling visions into feasible, production-ready designs from concept through production, ensuring performance, timing, and commercial requirements are achieved. Collaborate and communicate technical concepts and requirements effectively with Studio Designers, Suppliers, Manufacturing, and other cross-functional teams to achieve design themes, attribute targets, and resolve complex engineering issues.

Leverage expertise in plastics, injection molding, optical design, GD&T principles, tolerance stack-up analysis, and electronics to solve complex technical problems and evaluate design trade-offs using first-principles reasoning and root-cause analysis, ensuring all parts and assemblies are optimized for high-volume manufacturing. Lead the development and creations of DFMEAs ensuring that dependencies are effectively cascaded to relevant cross-functional partners. Create product validation plans, coordinate validation activities and sign off results.

Manage Tier 1 supplier relationships including RFQ documentation, technical design reviews, and the integration of supplier feedback. Manage engineering change management, maintain accurate Bill of Materials (BOM) using Enovia, and generate and manage 3D and 2D data with Catia V6. Align engineering deliverables with commercial program requirements including appearance, cost, weight, durability, legal requirements, and program timing objectives. Exhibit "Rivian Compass" values in everything you do.

Qualifications Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Or related discipline, Masters degree preferred) 7+ years (preferred) of Exterior/interior Lamp development at a Tier 1 or OEM Capable of managing the full part lifecycle, including design, engineering validation, and release to production systems. Proficient in CATIA V5/V6, utilizing key modules like Part Design and Geometric Surface Design to generate 3D geometry, sectional data, and communicate technically sound design solutions.

Strong understanding of engineering first principles and the ability to apply them to identify, analyze, and resolve technical challenges. Demonstrated ability to manage information, prioritize tasks, and communicate project status with clarity. Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly and concisely communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences. Strong working knowledge of FMVSS, ECE, NCAP and other automotive evaluation and regulatory achievement Ability to self-direct while managing ambiguity.

Curiosity and high learning agility. Pay Disclosure The salary range for this role is $137,800 - $172,200 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…