Prototype Engineer, System Prototypes at Rivian in Irvine, CA

Summary: Rivian and Volkswagen Technologies are building the future of electric vehicles, and they are seeking a highly proactive and detail-oriented Prototype Engineer. In this role, you will bridge the gap between design and functional reality, leading the design and commissioning of system prototypes and ensuring seamless integration and validation of early prototype ECUs. Responsibilities: - Drive System Prototyping: Support the end-to-end design and build completion of next-generation prototype assets, focusing on the integration of early prototype ECUs and end-devices to enable robust system-level hardware and software validation. Your design scope will include harness design, light mechanical structure design, integration of off-the-shelf development boards, and light software development - Commission & Innovate: Spearhead the commissioning of early prototype systems, employing expert troubleshooting techniques to swiftly resolve issues. You'll maintain comprehensive logs, sharing critical insights with stakeholders to inform continuous improvement - Collaborate & Influence: Act as a central hub for technical collaboration, partnering across all development teams to diagnose and resolve complex system issues. You'll leverage existing knowledge while proposing innovative short-term and long-term design solutions as needed - Optimize System Performance: Support maximizing the uptime of high-criticality assets by establishing proactive test procedures and providing rapid debugging support for system issues - Strategic Alignment: Perform thorough technical vetting of asset needs, aligning them with vehicle milestones across all programs, and proactively collaborating with development teams to prepare for and validate upcoming features - Pioneer Diagnostics: Provide full vehicle system diagnostics support during critical early pilot builds, meticulously tracking and communicating all findings to relevant stakeholders and development teams Required Qualifications: - Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering or a related technical field - 1+ years of hands-on experience designing and troubleshooting complex electrical systems within early development stages, ideally in an automotive or similar high-tech domain - Strong electrical system troubleshooting skills are essential - Experience in reading technical drawings, electrical schematics - Ability to thrive under pressure, applying creative and critical thinking to deliver exceptional results in a fast-paced environment - A collaborative team player with excellent communication skills, capable of conveying both detailed technical explanations and high-level status updates effectively Preferred Qualifications: - Familiarity with prototype manufacturing techniques and their practical application is a plus - Experience with basic mechanical design and CAD is preferred Required Skills: Electrical system troubleshooting, Technical drawing reading, Electrical schematics, Prototype manufacturing techniques, Mechanical design, CAD