Sr. Manufacturing Engineer - Drive Unit Test
Rivian · Plymouth, MI
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $99k–$123k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Automotive
- Posted
- 24 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior manufacturing role at Rivian (automotive) in Plymouth, MI. Support /maintain standard manufacturing / quality documentation (PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA Plan, Functional Safety, etc.) for core processes.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- FMEA, Control plans, MSA / Gage R&R, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Automation, Tooling
- Base pay
- $99k–$123k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Michigan: typical posted base $81k–$162k. This one lists $99k–$123k.
Median of the low and high ends of 26 live postings that list pay, out of 74 manufacturing engineer openings in Michigan, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Michigan plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 73 other live manufacturing postings in Michigan.
- Base pay
- About 8% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (5+ vs 4+)
Typical $78k–$162k, from 25 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ New product launch 62%
- ✓ Tooling 53%
- Lean 38%
- Root cause 34%
- ✓ FMEA 34%
- ✓ Automation 28%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for MSA / Gage R&R, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Rivian
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Rivian in Plymouth
2 other open roles at this site.
- Sr. Engineering Technician II · Manufacturing · Senior
- Sr. Digital Manufacturing Process Engineer · Process · Senior
Full description from RivianAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
Support the development of comprehensive functional testing strategies and environments for Drive unit and its components, including stators, motors and inverters at various levels of automation, following the Manufacturing target requirements. Identify and develop required in-process testing jointly with manufacturing engineering to ensure process risks are mitigated. Work closely with design engineering from various technical centers to understand product architectures and ensure testing
requirements
are met, including customer and regulatory needs. Perform test data analysis to identify trends and establish long-term predictive strategies. Leads the development of testing technologies required to support long term roadmaps in product testing and advanced engineering for EV Propulsion. Participates in design reviews for new products and simultaneous engineering to ensure the design is following principles of design for manufacturability and test. Implements and creates smart, flexible testing systems, and works with local engineering teams to deploy in test equipment purchases. Support /maintain standard manufacturing / quality documentation (PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA Plan, Functional Safety, etc.) for core processes. Ensure manufacturing systems are capable of hitting high volume rate, cost, and quality targets. Identify tooling and hardware requirements, design and implement them into production processes. Identify automation opportunities and establish
requirements
as well as evaluate return on investment for each. Work with in-house resources or external vendors as necessary to develop these solutions and implement them on the production line. Support programs launch activity as required. Lead the technical validation and deployment strategy for complex test environments; establishing robust MSA (GR&R Studies) to certify station capability and ensure seamless transition from development to high volume production.
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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 You will help develop Rivian’s testing processes, design test equipment to be used in prototype & production lines and help support Rivian’s mission to keep the world adventurous forever. The primary focus of this role will be stators, IPM motors, inverters, drive units. This role will be located at our Plymouth, MI or East Atlanta, GA facility and reports directly to a Sr. Manager, Manufacturing Engineering.