Battery Test and Validation Engineer II, Safety and Abuse

Location: 14192 Franklin (Tustin California)

Category: Mechanical & Electrical Engineering

Employment Type: FULL_TIME

Tags: Full Time, Rivian Automotive

About Rivian 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 As a Battery Test and Validation Engineer II (Safety and Abuse) within Rivian’s Battery Test and Validation team, you will focus on ensuring our high-voltage battery systems meet strict safety, reliability, and regulatory standards. In this role, you will help establish and validate the boundaries of our technology, collaborating across engineering teams to execute, analyze, and continuously optimize advanced abuse test methodologies. You will own the execution of critical test streams that evaluate battery packs, modules, and sub-systems under abuse conditions. From short circuits and thermal runaway events to regulatory and material testing, you will play a hands-on role in root-cause investigations and safety countermeasure development, helping turn complex test data into clear learnings that keep our vehicles safe Responsibilities Plan, execute, and analyze safety and abuse tests on battery modules, packs, and components, ensuring test plan alignment with the domain owner’s objectives Develop and refine test plans, procedures, and acceptance criteria in alignment with regulatory standards (e.g., UN38.3, FMVSS, IEC, UL) and Rivian’s internal safety requirements Analyze test data, generate detailed technical reports, and conduct post-test reviews with cross-functional teams Implement opportunities for continuous improvement in test methodologies, documentation, and data quality Stay current with industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging best practices in battery safety and abuse testing. Qualifications Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering preferred; related field acceptable with relevant experience 2+ years of related experience Strong first principles understanding of underlying physics and governing equations in heat transfer and electrical domains Hands-on experience with battery test equipment (test cyclers, isolation meters, high-speed DAQ, CAN tools, thermal chambers, etc.) and data analysis software Excellent written and verbal communication skills Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and learning agility Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Willingness to work flexible hours and travel as needed (up to 30% domestic and international travel may be required) Preferred Qualifications Experience with battery pack design, BMS, and integration in electric vehicles. Experience with thermal runaway propagation testing and mitigation strategies Familiarity with advanced data analysis, scripting, or automation tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, LabView, JMP). Certification or advanced training in electrical safety (e.g., NFPA 70E, OSHA, or equivalent). Experience using statistical tools such as hypothesis testing, calculating sample sizes, and developing predictive numerical models Pay Disclosure The salary range for this role is USD 77,800 - 97,300 for California 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). This job is not expected to be closed any sooner than October 20, 2026. 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.

Responsibilities

Plan, execute, and analyze safety and abuse tests on battery modules, packs, and components, ensuring test plan alignment with the domain owner’s objectives Develop and refine test plans, procedures, and acceptance criteria in alignment with regulatory standards (e.g., UN38.3, FMVSS, IEC, UL) and Rivian’s internal safety requirements Analyze test data, generate detailed technical reports, and conduct post-test reviews with cross-functional teams Implement opportunities for continuous improvement in test methodologies, documentation, and data quality Stay current with industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging best practices in battery safety and abuse testing.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering preferred; related field acceptable with relevant experience 2+ years of related experience Strong first principles understanding of underlying physics and governing equations in heat transfer and electrical domains Hands-on experience with battery test equipment (test cyclers, isolation meters, high-speed DAQ, CAN tools, thermal chambers, etc.) and data analysis software Excellent written and verbal communication skills Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and learning agility Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Willingness to work flexible hours and travel as needed (up to 30% domestic and international travel may be required) Preferred Qualifications Experience with battery pack design, BMS, and integration in electric vehicles. Experience with thermal runaway propagation testing and mitigation strategies Familiarity with advanced data analysis, scripting, or automation tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, LabView, JMP). Certification or advanced training in electrical safety (e.g., NFPA 70E, OSHA, or equivalent). Experience using statistical tools such as hypothesis testing, calculating sample sizes, and developing predictive numerical models