Automotive Functional Safety Engineer Jobs in California

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. 

As a Software Functional Safety Engineer, you will be responsible for performing functional safety and low-level
drivers, base and application software safety development for power electronics components. This role demands both deep technical expertise and the organizational influence to align cross-functional teams, drive supplier strategy, and shape engineering standards across the broader Power Electronics organization. This position reports directly to the Sr. Manager of Functional Safety within our Power Electronics organization. 

• Perform software safety analysis of the embedded software and control algorithms to address safety anomalies
• Develop SW-FTA, SW-FMEA, Freedom from interference (FFI), common cause/cascading failure (CCA/CFA) and dependent failure analysis (DFA) for embedded software, including low-level drivers, base and power electronics application software with controls knowledge
• Develop software safety concepts, software safety requirements, software safety architecture, including driving safety implementation within the software design team
• Develop software safety analysis, concepts and requirements for SoCs, microcontrollers/ICs
• Develop safety measures (e.g., plausibility check, Memory protection, Program flow monitoring, E2E protection, MCU internal and external watchdogs, Safety Management Unit) in application and platform software
• Develop software architecture in safety critical path for different subsystems, including interfacing requirements with vehicle controllers
• Support (but not develop) hardware safety analysis (FTA, FMEDA) and hardware safety requirements development
• Develop traceability between software, technical safety requirements, relevant test cases, and work products in traceability tool
• Develop Design Verification Plan (DVP) for relevant software safety requirements, including fault injections across Test Setups (SIL/HIL/Dyno/Test Bench or Vehicle level)
• Support the software test team in executing test cases with troubleshooting abilities on Test Setups (SIL/HIL/Dyno/Test Bench or Vehicle level)
• Support vehicle functional safety team in development of technical safety requirements and hazard analysis risk assessment. Analyze and break vehicle level TSRs into detailed software safety requirements
• Support defining programming and coding guidelines for the software development teams
• Support tool classification and qualification across Rivian’s software toolsets

• MS, BS, or PhD degree in Electrical, Embedded, or Software Engineering
• Experience with embedded systems and VLSI
• In-depth understanding of systems and software design architecture for Power Electronics applications
• 5+ Years of experience developing (and implementing) embedded software and controls with a functional safety engineering background in ISO 26262 parts 4, 5, 8 with an emphasis in 6
• Knowledge of communication protocols such as CAN, SPI, and LIN
• Experience with requirements management tools (e.g. JAMA, Doors, etc.), issue tracking tools (Jira, Bugzilla, etc.), SW version control tools (e.g. Git, Bitbucket, SVN, etc.)
• Experience with C programming and/or model-based design using Simulink
• Additional experience working on Texas Instruments, Infineon automotive safety processors is a plus
• Knowledge of failure modes and failure effects of embedded software and controls design with prior experience in performing software FTA, FMEA, FFI, DFA, cascading and common cause analysis
• Experience/proficiency with embedded debugging tools such as PLS/ UAD or similar
• Experience/proficiency with communication tools such as Wireshark, CANalyzer or CANape
• Experience with requirements management tools (Jama), issue tracking tools (Jira), SW version control tools (git)
• Ability to work with resilience, zooming out and with out of the box, lean and agile thinking
• Strong team player with a drive to exceed expectations and meet deadlines
• Experience working within a cross-functional team
• Tools expertise with Medini, Plato or similar strongly preferred
• Familiarity with E-Gas Level 1/2/3 Concept strongly preferred
• ISO 26262 Certified strongly preferred
• Free-RTOS safety qualification prior experience, Safe-RTOS and BareMetal development experience 

The salary range for this role is USD 171,100-213,900 for Southern California based applicants, and USD 186,000-232,500 for Northern California based applicants. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, shift, and organizational needs.

The successful candidate may be eligible for annual performance bonus and equity awards. 

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26, including but not limited to paid vacation, paid sick leave, and a competitive portfolio of insurance benefits including life, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance to eligible employees. You may also have the opportunity to participate in Rivian’s 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program if you meet certain eligibility requirements. Full-time employee coverage is effective on their first day of employment. Part-time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment. More information about benefits is available at rivianbenefits.com. 

You can apply for this role through careers.rivian.com (or through internal-careers-rivian.icims.com if you are a current employee). This job is not expected to be closed any sooner than July 21st, 2026.

Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. 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.

Rivian 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.

Rivian 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 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 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 affiliates; and (iii) Rivian’s service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services. 

Rivian may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, 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.  

How We Use AI in Our Hiring Process: To ensure transparency, we want candidates to know that Rivian uses iCIMS Talent Cloud Artificial Intelligence (TCAI) and AI-enabled tools to assist with screening, reviewing, organizing and highlighting profiles and applications that match the key requirements for each role.

Participation in AI profile matching is entirely voluntary. If you prefer that your profile not be used in this process, you can opt out at any time. Opting out means your profile will be excluded from automated matching and will not be surfaced for additional roles through this system. Your current application remains active and will not be affected in any way.

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

• MS, BS, or PhD degree in Electrical, Embedded, or Software Engineering
• Experience with embedded systems and VLSI
• In-depth understanding of systems and software design architecture for Power Electronics applications
• 5+ Years of experience developing (and implementing) embedded software and controls with a functional safety engineering background in ISO 26262 parts 4, 5, 8 with an emphasis in 6
• Knowledge of communication protocols such as CAN, SPI, and LIN
• Experience with requirements management tools (e.g. JAMA, Doors, etc.), issue tracking tools (Jira, Bugzilla, etc.), SW version control tools (e.g. Git, Bitbucket, SVN, etc.)
• Experience with C programming and/or model-based design using Simulink
• Additional experience working on Texas Instruments, Infineon automotive safety processors is a plus
• Knowledge of failure modes and failure effects of embedded software and controls design with prior experience in performing software FTA, FMEA, FFI, DFA, cascading and common cause analysis
• Experience/proficiency with embedded debugging tools such as PLS/ UAD or similar
• Experience/proficiency with communication tools such as Wireshark, CANalyzer or CANape
• Experience with requirements management tools (Jama), issue tracking tools (Jira), SW version control tools (git)
• Ability to work with resilience, zooming out and with out of the box, lean and agile thinking
• Strong team player with a drive to exceed expectations and meet deadlines
• Experience working within a cross-functional team
• Tools expertise with Medini, Plato or similar strongly preferred
• Familiarity with E-Gas Level 1/2/3 Concept strongly preferred
• ISO 26262 Certified strongly preferred
• Free-RTOS safety qualification prior experience, Safe-RTOS and BareMetal development experience