Sr. Embedded Software Engineer

Location: 607 Hansen (Palo Alto 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 Senior Embedded Software Engineer, you will occupy a critical, high-impact role at the intersection of early-stage hardware innovation and mass production. You will be responsible for bringing new custom electronic boards to life, writing the low-level software that validates prototype designs, and developing the Device Under Test (DUT) software that ensures flawless functional test and calibration on the factory floor. This role requires a rare blend of deep low-level firmware expertise, agility in prototype environments, and a rigorous engineering mindset for factory test automation. Responsibilities Architect, implement, and optimize low-level peripheral drivers (e.g., SPI, I2C, UART, CAN-FD,PCIe, Ethernet) for next-generation custom controller, sensor, and actuator electronics. Lead the initial software bring-up of first-article prototype boards. Write rapid, robustprototype software to validate hardware functionality, stress-test ICs, and provide feedbackto the hardware design team. Design and maintain the embedded software architecture for Devices Under Test (DUT)deployed in high-volume manufacturing environments. Develop test firmware thatmaximizes test coverage and minimizes cycle time on the line. Partner closely with Electrical Engineering, Production SW, Controls SW, SystemsEngineering, UX, Manufacturing Test, and Reliability teams to define hardware-softwareinterfaces and test strategies. Diagnose and resolve complex, intermittent hardware/software interaction. Simplify complex functions and features to their core components using first principlesapproach to drive simple and structured requirements and production friendly solutionworking with broader team Drive technical decisions and guide the team in the right direction. Think holistically. Understand the impact of your plan or decision to program and customers. Deep dive into technical issues to drive data-driven decisions. Perform other duties as required or assigned within the scope of the position Qualifications BS + 5 years or MS + 3 years or equivalent experience in Computer Engineering, ElectricalEngineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Proven track record of developing firmware in C or C++ and working with Real-TimeOperating Systems (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, QNX, or similar). Strong ability to read electrical schematics, understand component datasheets, and utilizestandard lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters). Deep understanding of ARM Cortex-M/A microcontrollers, RISC-V, or similar architectures,including memory maps, interrupt handling, and DMA. Hands-on experience with embedded protocols such as I2C, SPI, UART, CAN/CAN-FD, and Ethernet. Experience writing test scripts or test executives in Python to interface with factory DUT firmware. Prior experience deploying embedded code into high-volume electronic manufacturing environments. Familiarity with Git, CI/CD pipelines for embedded systems, and agile development methodologies. Demonstrated strong creative thinking and problem-solving toolbox Ability to collaborate and drive direction through multidisciplinary discussions Have a fine eye for detail, yet the ability to ‘zoom out’ and see the big picture Pay Disclosure The salary range for this role is $146,900 - $183,600 for Palo Alto, CA 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. 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

Architect, implement, and optimize low-level peripheral drivers (e.g., SPI, I2C, UART, CAN-FD,PCIe, Ethernet) for next-generation custom controller, sensor, and actuator electronics. Lead the initial software bring-up of first-article prototype boards. Write rapid, robustprototype software to validate hardware functionality, stress-test ICs, and provide feedbackto the hardware design team. Design and maintain the embedded software architecture for Devices Under Test (DUT)deployed in high-volume manufacturing environments. Develop test firmware thatmaximizes test coverage and minimizes cycle time on the line. Partner closely with Electrical Engineering, Production SW, Controls SW, SystemsEngineering, UX, Manufacturing Test, and Reliability teams to define hardware-softwareinterfaces and test strategies. Diagnose and resolve complex, intermittent hardware/software interaction. Simplify complex functions and features to their core components using first principlesapproach to drive simple and structured requirements and production friendly solutionworking with broader team Drive technical decisions and guide the team in the right direction. Think holistically. Understand the impact of your plan or decision to program and customers. Deep dive into technical issues to drive data-driven decisions. Perform other duties as required or assigned within the scope of the position

Qualifications

BS + 5 years or MS + 3 years or equivalent experience in Computer Engineering, ElectricalEngineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Proven track record of developing firmware in C or C++ and working with Real-TimeOperating Systems (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, QNX, or similar). Strong ability to read electrical schematics, understand component datasheets, and utilizestandard lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters). Deep understanding of ARM Cortex-M/A microcontrollers, RISC-V, or similar architectures,including memory maps, interrupt handling, and DMA. Hands-on experience with embedded protocols such as I2C, SPI, UART, CAN/CAN-FD, and Ethernet. Experience writing test scripts or test executives in Python to interface with factory DUT firmware. Prior experience deploying embedded code into high-volume electronic manufacturing environments. Familiarity with Git, CI/CD pipelines for embedded systems, and agile development methodologies. Demonstrated strong creative thinking and problem-solving toolbox Ability to collaborate and drive direction through multidisciplinary discussions Have a fine eye for detail, yet the ability to ‘zoom out’ and see the big picture