Field Quality and Reliability Engineer - Mechanical Systems

About Us

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

Quality and reliability are core to Rivian’s customer experience and product performance. We are looking for a Field Quality and Reliability Engineer to support the Vehicle Hardware by identifying emerging field issues early, analyzing reliability trends, and driving technical problem-solving to resolution.

 

This role is focused on using field, service, warranty, and manufacturing data to detect early life failures, proactively identify wear-out failure trends, and translate findings into effective containment and long-term corrective actions. The engineer will work cross-functionally with technical support, design, manufacturing, service, quality, supply chain, and other partner teams to improve product quality and reliability.

 

Responsibilities

• Apply field quality and reliability engineering methods to improve vehicle performance and customer experience for Vehicle Mechanical systems
• Analyze field, service, warranty, and manufacturing data to identify reliability trends, bad actors, and emerging failure modes
• Use reliability statistics and trend analysis to detect early life failures and proactively identify wear-out failures in the field
• Develop clear risk assessments and communicate issue severity, frequency, and business impact to cross-functional stakeholders
• Lead and support technical investigations using a data-driven approach to identify failure patterns, isolate root causes, and define next actions
• Drive issues to resolution by partnering with technical support, engineering, manufacturing, service, supplier quality, and other cross-functional teams
• Support root cause analysis activities with structured problem-solving methods and evidence-based decision-making
• Create analyses ranging from simple time-in-service or mileage-based studies to deeper reliability and degradation assessments
• Develop reliability insights and forecasts that help teams prioritize containment, corrective actions, and long-term product improvements
• Translate field findings into recommendations for design improvements, manufacturing process improvements, service actions, and test method updates
• Monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions and confirm that implemented countermeasures reduce field failure risk.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering field
• Experience in automotive manufacturing, automotive quality, reliability engineering, or a related technical role
• Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting field and manufacturing data
• Working knowledge of reliability statistics, data analysis, and trend monitoring
• Experience supporting root cause investigations and driving issues through containment and corrective action
• Ability to work cross-functionally and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Working knowledge of Python, SQL, or similar tools for data analysis

 

Preferred Qualifications

 

• Experience identifying early life failures and wear-out failure trends in field populations
• Knowledge of reliability engineering concepts and statistical methods such as Weibull analysis, life data analysis, and reliability trend tracking
• Familiarity with automotive manufacturing processes and vehicle systems
• Understanding of the physics of failure for mechanical and electromechanical systems
• Experience with problem-solving and failure analysis tools
• Familiarity with failure analysis techniques such as microscopy, X-ray, CT, FTIR, SEM, or EDS
• Experience using tools such as JMP, ReliaSoft, or similar statistical software

Pay Disclosure

The salary range for this role is $97,700 - $122,100 for Illinois 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 insurance benefits including life, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance to eligible employees. You may also have the opportunity to participate in Rivian’s 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program if you meet certain eligibility requirements. Full-time employee coverage is effective on their first day of employment. Part-time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment. More information about benefits is available at rivianbenefits.com. 

You can apply for this role through careers.rivian.com (or through internal-careers-rivian.icims.com if you are a current employee). There is no fixed deadline for this application; applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until the role is filled or the opening is no longer needed.

Company Statements

Equal Opportunity

Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

Rivian is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.

Candidate Data Privacy and Technology

Rivian may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law. 

 

Rivian may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian affiliates; and (iii) Rivian’s service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services. 

 

Rivian may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.  

 

How We Use AI in Our Hiring Process: To ensure transparency, we want candidates to know that Rivian uses iCIMS Talent Cloud Artificial Intelligence (TCAI) and AI-enabled tools to assist with screening, reviewing, organizing and highlighting profiles and applications that match the key requirements for each role.

AI does not make hiring decisions: Qualified candidate applications are reviewed by a member of our team, and all decisions throughout the process are made by humans. We use AI to support efficiency and consistency, not to replace human judgment. We are committed to a fair, thoughtful, and equitable experience for every candidate. 

Participation in AI profile matching is entirely voluntary. If you prefer that your profile not be used in this process, you can opt out at any time. Opting out means your profile will be excluded from automated matching and will not be surfaced for additional roles through this system. Your current application remains active and will not be affected in any way.

 

Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.