Staff Electrical Systems Engineer

About the role

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies, a joint venture focused on software‑defined vehicles, is looking for a Staff Electrical Systems Engineer to lead the architecture and integration of multiple electrical domains on US‑based programs. You will own both low‑voltage and high‑voltage power distribution, harness strategy, and interface definitions across the vehicle platform.

Key responsibilities

• Own the electrical architecture for assigned LV/HV domains, including power distribution, harness strategy, and interface definitions.
• Define zonal topology inputs, allocate devices and I/O to zonal controllers.
• Develop LV power architecture, supply strategy, bus management, power modes, and fault handling.
• Create mission profiles, accessory power requirements, load budgets, and quiescent current targets.
• Decompose vehicle‑level specifications into subsystem, component, and zonal interface requirements with full traceability.
• Negotiate requirements with component suppliers and internal owners.
• Define hardware‑driven software requirements for embedded software teams.
• Review schematics for conformance to architecture.
• Develop and execute validation plans across unit, SIL, HIL, and vehicle‑level testing.
• Lead root‑cause analysis and resolution of electrical issues.
• Evaluate next‑generation technologies and support R&D maturation.

Required profile

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in electrical systems engineering for automotive or comparable complex embedded products.
• Proven ownership of an electrical system or domain through a full development cycle.
• Expertise in LV/HV power systems, electrical distribution, and wiring harness design.
• Experience with requirements decomposition, interface definition, and validation coverage.

Required skills

• LV/HV power systems
• Electrical distribution
• Wiring harness design
• Requirements decomposition
• Interface definition
• Validation planning
• Software‑in‑the‑loop (SIL) testing
• Hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) testing
• Schematic review
• Embedded software requirements definition