Sr. Aerothermal Development Engineer

About Us

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.

The Sr. Aerothermal Development Engineer supports the Thermal Attributes process from initial target setting to final vehicle level sign off. A high focus on benchmarking and customer fleet analysis is part of supporting the Attribute target definition. DVP creation, test planning, vehicle preparation as well as data analysis are part of the daily activities for this role. Support chamber and road trip testing for HVAC and Propulsion Conditioning Attributes as well and hardware/software development.

Manage opening and closure of engineering concerns and issues throughout the vehicle life.

• Lead the planning and execution of thermal system development and validation testing, including travel to off-site locations for testing in extreme hot and cold conditions.
• Develop comprehensive test procedures that align with user stories and attribute requirements, ensuring high-quality and actionable test results.
• Specify, plan, and assist with vehicle instrumentation, ensuring data acquisition solutions meet required accuracy and robustness.
• Identify, document, and proactively address system design gaps and vehicle issues throughout all phases of testing and development based on empirical data.
• Support chamber and on road testing for HVAC and Propulsion Conditioning Attributes, contributing to both hardware and software development.
• Create and maintain detailed testing documentation, including test plans, verification procedures, and comprehensive test reports detailing analysis findings during development cycle and sign off procedure.

• Drive the development and refinement of control strategies for HVAC and thermal management systems based directly on test data analysis and identified performance gaps.
• Collaborate closely with HVAC control strategy lead & controls engineers to propose and implement logic changes that optimize thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and system response.
• Perform in-depth data analysis of complex test data from vehicle, subsystem, and component-level aerothermal tests (e.g., thermal comfort, system capacity, HVAC/propulsion conditioning performance).
• Present compelling analysis results to leadership and cross-functional teams, highlighting key findings, root causes, and recommended solutions.
• Utilize a foundational understanding of aerothermal simulation (CFD, thermal comfort) to correlate simulation results with physical data, and assist in diagnosing complex issues identified during testing.
• Participate in cross-functional teams (Studio, Thermal, Interior, Exterior, Controls) to develop and implement innovative and efficient HVAC and cooling strategies, with a strong emphasis on data-driven decisions.
• Manage opening and closure of engineering concerns and issues throughout the vehicle life, ensuring robust root cause analysis using test data.

• ​Bachelor’s or Graduate Degree in Engineering (Mechanical/Aerospace) from an accredited University with a strong background in Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Experimental Methods/Data Analysis.
• ​2-5 years’ experience in automotive thermal system development, HVAC design, or electronics cooling, with a…