Sr. Failure Analysis Materials Engineering TPM

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.

The Sr. FAME Technical Program Manager plays a critical role in driving Rivian’s technology & strategy to support Failure Analysis and Materials Engineering within Rivian’s Engineering Quality (EQ) department. You will partner with cross‑functional teams across Product Development, Manufacturing & Process Engineering, Plant Quality, Procurement & Supply Chain, and Supplier Quality. Throughout the product lifecycle you will craft cross‑functional solutions that directly support our production schedule, improve efficiency, improve assembly quality, and enable research and development of advanced component offerings.

This role is located at our Normal, IL production facility and reports into the Director, Failure Analysis & Materials Engineering (FAME).

• Key support functions within FAME:
  • Sustaining Reliability
  • Materials Test Lab
  • Welding & Joining Quality
• Key Cross Functional Partners:
  • Facilities
  • Manufacturing
  • Plant Quality
  • Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)/IT and data infrastructure
• Program Integration Management – The TPM will take charge of ensuring FAME team activities are aligned with rapidly changing program timelines and deliverables. The TPM will work closely with the Plant Quality and Manufacturing teams, and with Plant shop Leads. The TPM will compile weekly updates of current program & shop status and risks. The TPM will maintain an accurate timetable for all FAME deliverables within their support functions.
• Accountability – The TPM will drive FAME deliverables within their support functions, and hold both our cross‑functional partners accountable for providing support, and FAME team members for adhering to the deadlines.
• Technical Liaison – Act as a bridge between technical teams and business stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and alignment of program objectives. Provide regular updates to FAME leadership on program status, risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Engineering Critical Path – ensuring all FSMR deliverables in their support functions have timelines to manage critical path, and that the cadence of is being driven based on an aligned timeline, and with actively derisking the critical path in mind.
• Risk Management – working with the FAME management focals in their supporting functions to identify risks to programs and production, mitigation plans, and escalation before risks are realized. Communicating with vehicle‑level and Program teams and their TPMs, and ensuring alignment on the route forward. This is constantly evolving throughout the entire program, and dependent on the risks at hand.
• Issue Management – ensuring emergent issues are identified and resolved effectively throughout the program and issues are burned down before moving to more complex phases of the program.
• Scope Management – understanding and communicating Vehicle Line and Program goals to the FAME team, and decomposing them into a technical roadmap.
• Change Management – align on change management content, and that the changes are necessary, and then ensure high quality change execution when change is agreed upon.
• Lab Certification – The TPM will aid in the ISO 17025 certification drive for the Materials Test Lab, and in the maintenance of that certification post award.
• Sustaining Reliability – The TPM will lead the coordination of burn‑in schedules for Battery and Drive Units within the sustaining reliability team. They will own the detailed program plan and schedule for sustaining reliability programs, including key milestones, critical path, and interlocks with other teams and suppliers. Track reliability program status against targets and ensure design, validation, and…