Sr. Manager, Safety Test and Validation

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.

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 Senior Manager, Safety Test & Validation is responsible for leading, developing, and executing Rivian’s Vehicle Safety Engineering test and validation engineering team. This role drives the end-to-end testing strategy to ensure Rivian’s vehicles meet global regulatory and consumer rating standards, quality benchmarks, consumer expectations, and real-world performance requirements for passive safety. In this role, you will define comprehensive validation initiatives, oversee Design Verification Plan (DVP) creation and execution, manage external test facility partnerships, and collaborate cross-functionally across engineering, program management, and homologation teams.

Extensive experience in vehicle safety, crash worthiness, and structural performance, with a strong understanding of global regulatory and consumer safety standards (FMVSS, UNECE, US NCAP, Euro NCAP, IIHS) is a must.

• Participate in cross-functional strategy development to advance Rivian’s overall Vehicle Safety Engineering test and validation vision.
• Define, establish, and optimize vehicle- and component-level testing programs to validate performance against internal targets, global standards, and regulatory requirements (FMVSS, UNECE, Euro NCAP, etc.).
• Oversee program Design Verification Plan (DVP) development, execution, and milestone tracking.
• Influence internal and external functional groups, program management, and homologation teams to achieve seamless system- and vehicle-level validation execution.
• Develop strategic partnerships with test labs, research institutions, and key vendors. Plan assets, capacity, timelines, budget, and equipment investments to ensure the function delivers against all commitments.
• Represent Rivian in technical regulatory discussions and vehicle rating/performance evaluations for the validation approach.
• Establish and maintain clear, systematic, and documented internal standards, procedures, and stakeholder instructions to ensure repeatably consistent execution across all test events.
• Implement robust knowledge transfer processes and cover plans so critical operations are never dependent on a single individual.
• Oversee critical test setup, execution, and post-test assessment checkpoints. Ensure named, accountable owners complete pre- and post-test checks and that all required equipment, instructions, and information are verified prior to execution.
• Maintain systems of control that prevent critical steps or procedural checks from being omitted.
• Ensure key decisions, stakeholder agreements, and procedure changes are documented in writing prior to execution. Provide complete, high-quality, and timely test data, reports, and management updates.
• Ensure all work executed meets quality, timing, and completeness standards. Remain accountable for setting up, directing, and checking the team's output.
• Set clear expectations, provide regular performance feedback, and mentor team members.
• Proactively identify and surface technical, operational, or timing risks…