Staff Technical Program Manager, Vehicle Features

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.  

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

The Staff Technical Program Manager is responsible for driving the development and implementation of Vehicle Applications through systems design, implementation, integration, and validation phases.

The ideal candidate will have 7 years of experience in technical program management or system engineering, a Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Electrical or Computer engineering, and experience with Agile, SCRUM, or similar software development lifecycle processes. Experience in vehicle/automobile manufacturing, or similiar industry is required. 

• Drive feature development for Vehicle Applications software through systems design, implementation, integration, and validation phases.
• Develop and communicate commercialization plans and schedules across multiple stakeholders.
• Establish Quarterly development milestones and partner with development leads for Sprint planning, periodic scrum meetings, and retrospectives to ensure efficient process flows and optimum productivity of the team.
• Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies by evaluating program risks and obtaining cross-functional agreement. 
• Oversee and direct stand-up meetings with the software development team, ensuring clear communication of progress, identification of blockers, and alignment on priorities.
• Drive deep dive meetings, conduct design and milestone reviews with Engineering and Management teams.
• Develop and maintain software execution dashboards and other reporting tools to identify bottlenecks, areas for improvement, and ensure an effective pace of development.
• Collaborations:
  • Collaborate with software and firmware engineers to ensure that software goals and schedules are synced.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional business teams to understand their goals and timelines.
  • Collaborate with the technical teams and Product Managers to define product requirements.
  • Collaborate with System Engineering teams to ensure Engineering Documentation is coordinated & managed.
    

• Reporting and Escalation:

  • Report on weekly progress with respect to plan and schedule.
  • Escalate new program-level risks and unknowns.
  • Escalate key and gating decisions, so they can be made with expedience.
  • Identify where the team is and isn’t adequately staffed to execute the program.

Core Qualifications:

• Minimum 7 years of experience in technical program management or system engineering.
• Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Electrical or computer engineering.
• Experience with Agile, SCRUM, or similar software development lifecycle processes.
• Passion for making world-class products that impact customers in a positive way.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Jira, Confluence, and Jama.
• Experience in Automotive and Functional Safety Standards.

• Excellent ability to work with and communicate across cross-functional teams.
• Superlative ability to up-level technical details and communicate with clarity to internal and external stakeholders.
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving, multi-threaded environment.
• Excellent written communication and presentation skills.

Salary Range/Hourly Rate for Palo Alto, California Based Applicants: $167,400 - 210,600 USD (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).

Salary Range/Hourly Rate for California Based Applicants: $154,000 - 195,900 USD (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).

Benefits Summary: Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Coverage is effective on the first day of employment.

Equal Opportunity

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. 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. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and VW Group Technologies (“Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies”) 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies 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 and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services. 

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, 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 see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information.

Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.

Salary : $154,000 - $195,900