Field Quality and Reliability Engineer - Mechanical Systems
Rivian · Normal, IL
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Quality
- Base pay
- $98k–$122k
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 1+ years
- Industry
- Automotive
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level quality role at Rivian (automotive) in Normal, IL. Is filled or the opening is no longer needed.
- They ask for
- 1+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Root cause, Supplier quality
- Base pay
- $98k–$122k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $98k–$136k. This one lists $98k–$122k.
Median of the low and high ends of 41 live postings that list pay, out of 53 quality engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Illinois plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 52 other live quality postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- In line with similar roles
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (1+ vs 4+)
Typical $98k–$125k, from 35 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 49%
- ✓ Supplier quality 47%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 45%
- Team leadership 36%
- SPC 34%
- Six Sigma 30%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Python, 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 Quality 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?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- 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 Normal
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Full description from RivianAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
Apply field quality and reliability engineering methods to improve vehicle performance and customer experience for Vehicle Mechanical systems Analyze field, service, warranty, and manufacturing data to identify reliability trends, bad actors, and emerging failure modes Use reliability statistics and trend analysis to detect early life failures and proactively identify wear-out failures in the field Develop clear risk assessments and communicate issue severity, frequency, and business impact to cross-functional stakeholders Lead and support technical investigations using a data-driven approach to identify failure patterns, isolate root causes, and define next actions Drive issues to resolution by partnering with technical support, engineering, manufacturing, service, supplier quality, and other cross-functional teams Support root cause analysis activities with structured problem-solving methods and evidence-based decision-making Create analyses ranging from simple time-in-service or mileage-based studies to deeper reliability and degradation assessments Develop reliability insights and forecasts that help teams prioritize containment, corrective actions, and long-term product improvements Translate field findings into recommendations for design improvements, manufacturing process improvements, service actions, and test method updates Monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions and confirm that implemented countermeasures reduce field failure risk.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering field and 1+ years in working within an automotive environment Experience in automotive manufacturing, automotive quality, reliability engineering, or a related technical role Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting field and manufacturing data Working knowledge of reliability statistics, data analysis, and trend monitoring Experience supporting root cause investigations and driving issues through containment and corrective action Ability to work cross-functionally and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders Working knowledge of Python, SQL, or similar tools for data analysis
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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 Quality and reliability are core to Rivian’s customer experience and product performance. We are looking for a Field Quality and Reliability Engineer to support the Vehicle Hardware by identifying emerging field issues early, analyzing reliability trends, and driving technical problem-solving to resolution. This role is focused on using field, service, warranty, and manufacturing data to detect early life failures, proactively identify wear-out failure trends, and translate findings into effective containment and long-term corrective actions. The engineer will work cross-functionally with technical support, design, manufacturing, service, quality, supply chain, and other partner teams to improve product quality and reliability.