Rivian · 1 week ago
Staff Thermal Attributes Engineer
Irvine, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$154K/yr - $192K/yr
10+ years expRivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever, focusing on emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles. As a Staff Thermal Attributes Engineer, you will drive the complete lifecycle of vehicle thermal attributes, ensuring performance targets are met through your expertise in thermal management systems and collaboration with cross-functional teams.
AutomotiveElectric VehicleManufacturingTransportation
Responsibilities
Lead benchmark activities for comprehensive EV market evaluation
Develop vehicle thermal arbitration strategies with deep understanding of thermal system fundamentals such as refrigerant system operation, i.e., control, system health and limitations
Optimize vehicle level thermal performance with balancing key design dimensions: front-end airflow, coolant loops, cabin and heat pump systems including
Optimize heat pump efficiency through analysis and mid-ambient operation efficiency
Data analysis for vehicle level testing especially on refrigerant systems performance and health
Perform vehicle level thermal simulations for DOE studies, sensitivity studies, and what-if questions
Support thermal attribute use case development for all vehicle programs
Interface with cross-functional teams to align on thermal HW and Control requirements and targets
Support thermal system architectures development to meet attribute requirements with cross-functional teams such as Studio, Propulsion, Thermal and Controls
Support Vehicle level testing in wind tunnel, proving grounds and on-road
Correlation model/simulation with wind tunnel and on-road test results
Physics based refrigerant loop system evaluation and deep dives
Qualification
Required
Engineering Bachelor's or Master's Degree from an accredited University with a strong background in Thermal Science
10+ years' experience with automotive thermal systems and components in OEMs or suppliers
Strong and Solid understanding of automotive thermal systems especially on refrigerant systems and heat pumps and systems interactions
Knowledge on HVAC and Cabin systems
Strong fundamentals of heat-transfer and thermodynamic devices like heat exchangers, compressors, valves, pumps, fans, and heaters along with their subsystem and system-level interactions
Proven track record of problem solving and independent root cause analysis
Thermal chamber/Climatic wind tunnel testing experience is a great plus
Expert knowledge of HV battery, Electrified Drive unit and Power Electronics is a great plus
Experience in vehicle engineering and attributes is desired
Deep knowledge of thermal drive cycles and hand on test experience is a great plus
Hands-on experience with 1D simulation tools such like GT Suite, Matlab/Simulink
Working knowledge of programming languages, including MATLAB, C, or Python is a plus
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skill
Travel: 25%
Must have a valid driver's license in the state of residence that you will be driving/operating a vehicle
Benefits
Rivian provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26.
Coverage is effective on the first day of employment, and Rivian covers most of the premiums.
Company
Rivian
Rivian is an automotive technology company that develops products and services to advance the shift to sustainable mobility.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Rivian has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (38)
2024 (70)
2023 (54)
2022 (79)
2021 (21)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$21.93BKey Investors
Volkswagen GroupUS Department of EnergyIllinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
2025-06-30Post Ipo Equity· $1B
2024-11-25Post Ipo Debt· $6.6B
2024-05-02Grant· $827M
Leadership Team
Robert Scaringe
Chief Executive Officer
Claire McDonough
Chief Financial Officer
Recent News
Sherwood News
2026-01-16
2026-01-16
2026-01-16
Company data provided by crunchbase