Freelance Rivian Automotive Rivian Jobs in Illinois

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. 

The Craftsmanship Auditor evaluates Rivian vehicles from the customer’s perspective to identify, document, prioritize, and help resolve craftsmanship and perceived-quality concerns. This role performs repeatable static and dynamic vehicle audits using approved standards, quality sheets, measurement tools, and audit systems.

The auditor is responsible for producing objective, evidence-based findings that help Rivian protect customer experience, maintain build quality, and drive timely corrective action across Manufacturing, Plant Quality, Engineering, Paint, Supplier Quality, and related teams.

• Perform full and focused craftsmanship audits in accordance with applicable work instructions.
• Inspect exterior, interior, and vehicle functionality from a customer and trained-observer perspective.
• Perform static inspections and dynamic road tests, including evaluation of fit and finish, gaps and flush, closures, trim, paint, molding, interfaces, comfort, ergonomics functionality, wind noise, road noise, and other customer-facing attributes.
• Identify defects objectively and compare conditions against current boundary criteria, Craftsmanship Quality Sheets, gap plans, design intent, benchmarking references, and other approved standards.
• Use approved inspection and measurement equipment, including feeler gauges, gap-and-flush gauges, radii gauges, force gauges, calipers, and related tools.
• Create clear, accurate, and complete defect records in the Rivian Craftsmanship Audit systems, including vehicle identification, location, condition, evidence, severity, and issue ownership..
• Review audit findings with the team lead and relevant stakeholders to confirm defect description, classification, severity, and ownership.
• Escalate safety or regulatory concerns, and other high-impact issues through the established escalation process.
• Provide objective photos, measurements, observations, and other evidence needed for root-cause analysis and corrective actions
• Participate in daily startup meetings, defect walk-throughs, calibration activities, team all-hands, and required training.
• Support continuous improvement of audit methods, reporting, equipment, and craftsmanship standards.
• Maintain a safe, organized, and professional audit area consistent with PPE, 5S, and Rivian standard-work expectations.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience in automotive manufacturing, vehicle repair, quality inspection, craftsmanship, or a related technical field.
• Ability to inspect vehicles carefully and consistently using visual, tactile, auditory, and functional observations.
• Ability to read and apply technical standards, quality criteria, work instructions, and measurement results.
• Ability to use or learn inspection tools such as gauges, calipers, force gauges, and gap-and-flush measurement equipment.
• Basic understanding of manufacturing quality concepts, defect containment, corrective action, and root-cause problem solving.
• Ability to accurately document findings using digital systems such as Google sheets, and power point presentations
• Strong attention to detail and ability to distinguish objective defects from acceptable variation.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to follow safety requirements, PPE requirements, standard work, and controlled audit procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience performing vehicle-level craftsmanship, perceived-quality, end-of-line, or customer-readiness audits.
• Experience with automotive fit and finish, body, paint, interior trim, closures, or vehicle functionality.
• Experience with manufacturing execution systems, quality dashboards, or digital inspection tools.
• Ability to interpret basic engineering drawings, gap plans, or dimensional requirements.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• This is an on-site role in a fast-paced vehicle manufacturing and audit environment.
• Work requires frequent standing, walking, reaching, and use of hands to handle tools and vehicle components.
• Work may require bending, kneeling, crouching, stooping, climbing stairs or ladders, and working around vehicles at varying heights.
• The role may require close visual inspection and the ability to adjust focus while evaluating vehicle surfaces, interfaces, and components.
• The employee must be able to lift and move inspection equipment and materials consistent with site requirements.
• Possess and maintain a valid state-issued driver's license and pass a required motor-vehicle-record check

The salary range for this role is $26.00-$28.50 per hour for Illinois 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.

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). There is no fixed deadline for this application; applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until the role is filled or the opening is no longer needed.   

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.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience in automotive manufacturing, vehicle repair, quality inspection, craftsmanship, or a related technical field.
• Ability to inspect vehicles carefully and consistently using visual, tactile, auditory, and functional observations.
• Ability to read and apply technical standards, quality criteria, work instructions, and measurement results.
• Ability to use or learn inspection tools such as gauges, calipers, force gauges, and gap-and-flush measurement equipment.
• Basic understanding of manufacturing quality concepts, defect containment, corrective action, and root-cause problem solving.
• Ability to accurately document findings using digital systems such as Google sheets, and power point presentations
• Strong attention to detail and ability to distinguish objective defects from acceptable variation.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to follow safety requirements, PPE requirements, standard work, and controlled audit procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience performing vehicle-level craftsmanship, perceived-quality, end-of-line, or customer-readiness audits.
• Experience with automotive fit and finish, body, paint, interior trim, closures, or vehicle functionality.
• Experience with manufacturing execution systems, quality dashboards, or digital inspection tools.
• Ability to interpret basic engineering drawings, gap plans, or dimensional requirements.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• This is an on-site role in a fast-paced vehicle manufacturing and audit environment.
• Work requires frequent standing, walking, reaching, and use of hands to handle tools and vehicle components.
• Work may require bending, kneeling, crouching, stooping, climbing stairs or ladders, and working around vehicles at varying heights.
• The role may require close visual inspection and the ability to adjust focus while evaluating vehicle surfaces, interfaces, and components.
• The employee must be able to lift and move inspection equipment and materials consistent with site requirements.
• Possess and maintain a valid state-issued driver's license and pass a required motor-vehicle-record check