What you'd actually do

Define the propulsion durability duty cycle for various vehicle programs, i.e., nominal and exceptional vehicle use cases, frequency, and sequence that determine propulsion system fatigue over life.

Develop drive cycles for different types of vehicle use cases in different markets using real-world and vehicle-testing data.

Model and simulate propulsion system loads for different drive cycles and vehicle configurations.

Employ data science methods to build models of customer usage over life, i.e., develop customer behavior digital twin.

Correlate simulation results with real-world fleet data and physical test results to continuously improve model fidelity.

Skills

Required

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
Strong understanding of the physics of vehicle propulsion systems and other energy systems
4+ years experience in the automotive industry in a powertrain, propulsion, battery, or energy systems role, and/or equivalent research experience
Experience with vehicle powertrain systems modeling
Strong experience in Python (Pandas, Numpy), PySpark, Matlab, SQL
Experience with time series analysis
Demonstrated experience in analytical writing (reports, white papers, publications) and clear-and-concise presentations, with attention to detail

Nice to have

Working knowledge of IPG CarMaker is a plus
Some experience with machine learning techniques to develop classification models of behavior data (travel, driving, charging etc.) is a plus
Project or research experience with large time series datasets is a plus
Experience in fatigue life estimation (e.g., Rainflow counting, Miner’s Rule) and statistical methods (e.g., Weibull analysis)

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 The Durability Attribute engineers predict and test the range of loads and stresses Rivian vehicles will experience over life and need to be durable for—a challenging problem with many unknowns. Rivian designs vehicles for a wide range of use from everyday driving to offroad trail adventures and has introduced new agile ways to drive such as vehicle kick turns and dynamic powertrain tuning. Vehicle durability at Rivian exemplifies the intersection of virtual, test-based, and data-driven engineering ensuring the “Forever” in Rivian’s mission of Keeping the World Adventurous Forever. As a Senior Propulsion Durability Attribute Engineer, you will be a part of this collaborative team making Rivian vehicles adventurous yet durable for our customers. Your role will be to develop and validate data-driven and physics-based models to predict the usage of our vehicles over life, the loads on the propulsion system from such usage, and the detailed stressors from these loads affecting component life. You will have the opportunity to influence several aspects of vehicle development at Rivian such as propulsion system design through durability target setting, vehicle concept definition through fatigue sensitivity analyses, and vehicle testing and reliability through fleet data analyses. Responsibilities Define the propulsion durability duty cycle for various vehicle programs, i.e., nominal and exceptional vehicle use cases, frequency, and sequence that determine propulsion system fatigue over life. Develop drive cycles for different types of vehicle use cases in different markets using real-world and vehicle-testing data. Model and simulate propulsion system loads for different drive cycles and vehicle configurations. Employ data science methods to build models of customer usage over life, i.e., develop customer behavior digital twin. Correlate simulation results with real-world fleet data and physical test results to continuously improve model fidelity. Perform design of experiments (DoE) studies and sensitivity studies for the variation of fatigue damage for different duty cycles and propulsion designs. Collaborate with design and reliability teams to undertake detailed physics-based exploration of failure modes. Communicate and disseminate important findings and novel work through various presentations to multiple stakeholders in attribute and design reviews, papers at industry-leading conferences, and patents. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field. A strong understanding of the physics of vehicle propulsion systems and other energy systems. Passion for Rivian’s mission and commitment to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative workplace. 4+ years experience in the automotive industry in a powertrain, propulsion, battery, or energy systems role, and/or equivalent research experience. Experience with vehicle powertrain systems modeling. Working knowledge of IPG CarMaker is a plus. Strong experience in Python (Pandas, Numpy), PySpark, Matlab, SQL. Some experience with machine learning techniques to develop classification models of behavior data (travel, driving, charging etc.) is a plus. Experience with time series analysis. Project or research experience with large time series datasets is a plus. Experience in fatigue life estimation (e.g., Rainflow counting, Miner’s Rule) and statistical methods (e.g., Weibull analysis) Demonstrated experience in analytical writing (reports, white papers, publications) and clear-and-concise presentations, with attention to detail. Pay Disclosure The salary range for this role is $121,500-151,900 for Southern 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 May 18, 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 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. Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.