Sr. Technical Program Manager - Body

Rivianis 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.

Rivian's Body Manufacturing Engineering (ME) team designs, launches, and continuously optimizes world-class manufacturing systems to produce safe, high-quality vehicles  a Senior Technical Program Manager, you will lead cross-functional scope execution across joining, assembly, tooling, and simulation work streams—translating program commitments into technical readiness and proactive risk mitigation.

Body Manufacturing Engineering oversees joining processes, assembly line equipment, tooling strategy, and advanced simulation across product updates, DFM studies, and program management life cycles.

We are seeking a Senior Technical Program Manager to serve as the connective tissue across joining, assembly equipment, tooling, and simulation disciplines—aligning key deliverables (cost, timing, quality, mass, and CAPEX/ED&D investment) with structured execution and proactive risk management. This role is located at our Normal, IL facility and reports directly to a Sr. Manager, Manufacturing Engineering.

• Drive the integrated program schedule for Body Manufacturing Engineering (joining, assembly, tool design, simulation, and DFM) from initial concept through SOSP and steady-state production.
• Align cross-functional teams—including Design Engineering, Supply Chain, CAPEX/Finance, Facilities, and Plant Operations to ensure equipment, tooling, and process readiness adhere to Rivian Development Process gate milestones.
• Identify and mitigate program risks regarding cost, timing, quality, mass, and tooling budget through structured gate reviews, design evaluations, and issue resolution frameworks.
• Translate advanced DFM studies and simulation insights into actionable design and process decisions, maintaining continuous feedback loops between simulation models, tool design, and line-side execution.
• Manage technical engineering change requests, tooling modifications, and line trials for running product updates to minimize impact on production.
• Oversee tooling vendors and equipment suppliers through schedule management, buy-off, installation, and commissioning milestones.
• Establish and maintain standard program management practices (reporting cadences, dashboards, escalation paths) to translate complex engineering topics into executive-level communications.
• Support prototype, pilot, and pre-production build events to ensure Body ME deliverables and launch readiness are actively managed.
• Leverage data and AI tools to create auto-generated reports and dashboards to reduce administrative burden while focusing efforts on resolving real problems.
• Responsible for driving escalation topics and focusing escalation pathways on problem resolution and productive outcomes.
• Embody the "Rivian Compass" values across all work streams and team interactions.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or related technical field);
  Advanced degree preferred.
• 4+ years of experience in automotive manufacturing engineering, technical program management, orbody-in-white (BIW) development, with direct involvement in joining, assembly systems, or tooling programs.
• Strong technical understanding of body-in-white manufacturing processes is preferred. Knowledge ofjoining…