Senior Engineer, Supplier Development - Exteriors

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 Rivian Supply Chain team is looking for highly motivated technical professionals to ensure the stability and performance of our global supply chain. As a Senior Engineer Supplier Development, you will serve as a key individual contributor responsible for the quality performance and continuous improvement of an assigned commodity or group of suppliers.

You will work with moderate autonomy to ensure that supplier manufacturing capabilities meet design requirements and that quality expectations are strictly followed. In this role, you will drive results by proactively identifying challenges at the supplier level and proposing actionable solutions to remove risks before they impact production. You are expected to lead the APQP/PPAP process for your assigned area and maintain strong relationships with direct counterparts to resolve recurring issues.

This role offers the opportunity to influence sourcing decisions through expert analysis and data-driven insights. This position is based on site in Plymouth, MI, Normal, IL or Irvine, CA with a 30-40% domestic and international travel requirement and reports to Senior Manager of Supplier Development. Responsibilities Supplier Management:
Own the quality performance for exterior components, focusing on maintaining "Low-to-No Risk" (CL3) status. Directly oversee action plans for CL2 suppliers to prevent regression into higher-risk categories. Problem-Solving and Risk Mitigation:
Proactively identify challenges and propose specific solutions to remove risks before they impact production. Demonstrate proficiency in robust problem-solving tools (e.g., 5-Why, Fishbone, Is/Isn't) to resolve recurring issues. Technical

Skills:

Own and lead the APQP/PPAP process for assigned parts, ensuring suppliers meet all technical and documentation standards. Define clear expectations and monitor timelines with suppliers to ensure on-time delivery of quality milestones. Organizational Influence & Outreach:
Act as the technical owner for the industrialization of assigned suppliers and manage the final quality sign-off process. Use data-driven insights to directly influence the work of peers. Direction:
Operate with moderate autonomy to drive improvements and results within an assigned scope or commodity. Proactively identify challenges and use data-driven logic to propose solutions that remove risk. Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field and a minimum of 3 years of relevant supplier development experience. Domain Expertise:
Experience managing commodities and understanding the various factors of impact including economic and technology landscapes. Commodity-Specific

Experience:

Candidates with experience in Automotive Exterior components, A-Class Surface Parts with gloss and color requirements, and a strong understanding of manufacturing processes such as Injection & Blow Molding and Sheet Metal Forming are highly preferred. Technical

Skills:

Advanced knowledge of manufacturing techniques and supplier performance ownership. Communication:
Strong distributor of information, capable of aligning larger working groups and defusing conflicts. Execution:
Measured by the effective management of KPIs and the number of quality risks successfully mitigated. Operational Style:
Responsible for identifying and managing personal priorities to ensure all area-specific milestones are met on time. Travel Requirements:
Regular domestic and international travel is a core part of this role, expected to average between 30-40% annually. Pay Disclosure The salary range for this role is $89,900 - $112,400 for Plymouth, Michigan and Normal, Illinois based applicants and $98,500 - $123,100 for Irvine, 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…