Sr. Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Power Electronics
Rivian · Carson, CA
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 8+ years
- Industry
- Automotive
- Posted
- 19 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior manufacturing role at Rivian (automotive) in Carson, CA. Additionally, you will drive DFM/DFx reviews, partner with automation/equipment integrators on process development, validate equipment capability (Cp/Cpk, GR&R), and support pilot line stand-up through full NPI and production ramp.
- They ask for
- 8+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Root cause, SPC, FMEA, GD&T, Supplier quality, Automation
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $115k–$169k.
Median of the low and high ends of 126 live postings that list pay, out of 346 manufacturing engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 345 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (8+ vs 5+)
Typical $111k–$159k, from 113 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Tooling 51%
- ✓ New product launch 49%
- ✓ Root cause 39%
- ✓ Automation 36%
- CATIA / NX 27%
- Machining 27%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for SPC, Supplier quality, Injection molding, Casting, 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.
Full description from RivianAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
Lead end-to-end technical vetting, auditing, and approval of potential suppliers, CMs, and equipment integrators. Conduct process capability evaluations, run-at-rate audits, and facility reviews (on candidate line setups or equivalent production lines) to prove supplier capability matches ramp plans prior to sourcing Work side by side with mechanical design engineers to optimize power electronics assemblies for producibility, establish vendor-aligned design rules, reduce BOM cost and complexity, and resolve process risks prior to design freeze Evaluate and validate manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixtures across core supplier components, including high-pressure die castings, HV/LV headers and busbars, seals, DC link capacitors, metal brackets, EMI filter cores, and power modules Lead technical reviews of machine
requirements
and equipment designs with third-party automation suppliers. Drive formal equipment qualification processes, including system correlation, process capability analysis, and Gage Repeatability & Reproducibility (GR&R) Partner with internal manufacturing teams and sourced integrators on pilot line setups, shop layout optimization, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and line handover for next-generation power electronics production lines (e.g.,900V EMCU and SPIM) Lead architecture reviews and design phase gate decisions, ensuring solutions are scalable, manufacturable and aligned with program objectives Design and engineer complex subsystems including high-pressure die castings, injection-molded plastics, busbars, sheet metal, HV/LV harnesses, sealing interfaces and PCBA mechanical integration Own the full mechanical release cycle in ENOVIA, governing data integrity, design maturity and BOM accuracy across multiple concurrent programs Drive weekly technical reviews with suppliers to resolve open design items, enforce DFM alignment, and maintain delivery commitments Act as the senior technical escalation point for Supplier Quality on critical path issues Support the generation of high-impact engineering documents including Component Technical Specifications (CTS), Statements of Work (SOW), system-level DFMEAs, and assembly manuals Implement data-driven methodologies for workmanship, maintenance, process controls, and end-to-end data retention/traceability. Drive yield improvement initiatives and eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks to ensure supplier capacity meets demand Lead structured root-cause and corrective action investigations (8D, 5-Whys) for process and prototype failures, leveraging advanced analytical failure techniques (e.g., Optical Inspection, X-Ray, Cross-Sectioning, SEM) Function as a technical program bridge across ME, testing, DREs, Supply Chain, and executive leadership to align program schedules, manage risks, and ensure transparent status reporting
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering or a related engineering discipline; Master’s degree preferred 8+ years of progressive engineering experience in manufacturing engineering, supplier industrialization, or DFM roles, with a focus on high-volume automation, precision assembly, and tooling development Proven track record vetting, auditing, and managing external suppliers, contract manufacturers (CMs), and equipment integrators Hands-on process engineering experience with precision joining (laser welding, dispensing, heat staking, mechanical fasteners), thermal interface material (TIM) application, high-pressure die casting, and injection molding Deep experience in manufacturing process verification, including equipment capability testing, GR&R, run-at-rate audits, and statistical process control (SPC) Expert command of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and a track record developing tolerance stack-up analysis for complex power electronics assemblies Familiarity with failure analysis techniques (e.g., X-Ray, CSAM, SEM, EDS, Cross-Sectioning) Demonstrated ability to lead structured root-cause analysis (8D, Fishbone, 5-whys) on complex field and manufacturing failures Experience working with high-voltage automotive power electronics assemblies (e.g.,traction inverte
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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 Sr. Staff Manufacturing Engineer for Power Electronics, you will serve as the principal technical authority bridging internal Design Release Engineers (DREs), Manufacturing Engineering (ME), and external supplier/Contract Manufacturer (CM) partners. You will ensure that future suppliers are rigorously vetted and that their manufacturing capabilities, processes, and equipment setups are sufficiently robust, reliable, and scalable before sourcing decisions and design locks are finalized. In this role, you will evaluate and vet suppliers manufacturing critical power electronics components, including high pressure die-cast housings, high-voltage busbars, LV/HV headers, seals, DC link capacitors, metal brackets, EMI filter cores, and power modules used across traction inverters, DC charging power electronics modules, and energy management control units (EMCUs). Additionally, you will drive DFM/DFx reviews, partner with automation/equipment integrators on process development, validate equipment capability (Cp/Cpk, GR&R), and support pilot line stand-up through full NPI and production ramp. This position is based at our Carson, CA facility and reports directly to the Power Electronics Mechanical Engineering Director.
