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Powertrain Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Rivian

Staff Test Engineer, Powertrain

Tustin, CA

... engineering for powertrain, drivetrain, propulsion, or similar complex electromechanical systems, including significant rigbased or labbased testing. Demonstrated track record operating at a Staff ...

Rivian

Staff Test Engineer, Powertrain

Tustin, CA · On-site

... engineering for powertrain, drivetrain, propulsion, or similar complex electro-mechanical systems, including significant rig-based or lab-based testing. Demonstrated track record operating at a Staff ...

Rivian

Staff Test Engineer, Powertrain

Tustin, CA · On-site

... in test engineering for powertrain, drivetrain, propulsion, or similar complex electro-mechanical systems, including significant rig-based or lab-based testing. • Demonstrated track record ...

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All JobsPowertrain Engineer JobsPowertrain Engineer Jobs in California

Powertrain Engineer information

See California salary details

$30

$44

$63

How much do powertrain engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average hourly pay for powertrain engineer in California is $44.54, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $40.58 and $48.65 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Powertrain Engineer typically collaborate with other departments during the vehicle development process?

Powertrain Engineers work closely with a variety of teams, including electrical, software, chassis, and manufacturing engineers, to ensure the integration and performance of the powertrain system within the overall vehicle architecture. Collaboration often involves regular meetings, cross-functional design reviews, and troubleshooting sessions to address interface issues and optimize system efficiency. Effective communication skills and a proactive approach are essential, as Powertrain Engineers must coordinate requirements, resolve conflicts, and align project timelines with other departments throughout the development cycle.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Powertrain Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Powertrain Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical or automotive engineering, with expertise in powertrain systems and vehicle dynamics, typically supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools like MATLAB/Simulink, and knowledge of emissions and fuel efficiency standards are important, as is experience with testing equipment. Strong problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and effective communication skills help you collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and address complex engineering challenges. These skills ensure you can design, develop, and optimize powertrain systems that meet performance, regulatory, and customer requirements.

What is the difference between Powertrain Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectPowertrain EngineerMechanical Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Mechanical, Automotive, or Aerospace Engineering; often requires experience in vehicle systemsBachelor's or higher in Mechanical Engineering; broad engineering background
Work EnvironmentAutomotive or aerospace industries, R&D labs, manufacturing plantsManufacturing, product design, R&D across various industries
Industry UsagePrimarily in automotive, aerospace, and heavy machinery sectorsWidely used across multiple industries including automotive, aerospace, energy, and manufacturing

Powertrain Engineers focus on designing and developing vehicle propulsion systems, including engines and transmissions, mainly in automotive and aerospace sectors. Mechanical Engineers have a broader scope, working on various mechanical systems across industries. While both roles require strong engineering fundamentals, Powertrain Engineers specialize in vehicle propulsion, whereas Mechanical Engineers work on diverse mechanical projects.

What does a Powertrain Engineer do?

A Powertrain Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, testing, and improving the components that make up a vehicle’s powertrain system, such as the engine, transmission, driveline, and related electronics. They work to optimize performance, efficiency, and emissions, ensuring that vehicles meet regulatory standards and customer expectations. Powertrain Engineers collaborate with other engineering teams, use simulation tools, and often participate in prototype testing to refine their designs. Their work is essential in both traditional internal combustion and electric/hybrid vehicle systems.

What Does a Powertrain Engineer Do?

A powertrain engineer works in the automotive industry to design transportation, such as cars, motorbikes, or commercial vehicles. In this career, you focus on the aesthetics and technical performance of powertrain components as well as the electronics and software used in modern vehicles. Your job duties include calculating project budgets and timescales, building prototypes and conducting tests, interpreting data, finding high-quality materials to use, and conducting research on parts. You are also responsible for answering client questions and complying with their needs. Qualifications for this career include an engineering degree and experience with design.

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Powertrain Engineer jobs near you
Powertrain Reverse Engineer

Powertrain Reverse Engineer

ALTEN Technology USA

Foster City, CA • Hybrid

$120K - $135K/yr

Full-time

Posted 2 days ago

Be an early applicant

Job description

We're ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you'll collaborate on some of the world's toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

Powertrain Reverse Engineer

Project Summary

We operate an autonomous-driving fleet built on the Toyota Highlander hybrid platform. The added compute load draws significantly more power than the stock hybrid system was designed to supply, causing the high-voltage battery to deplete and trigger faults that take vehicles out of service. The vehicle CAN bus has already been decoded for driving functions, but the hybrid control system — charging logic, battery state of charge, and thermal management — remains undecoded. We are looking for someone to reverse-engineer these hybrid/powertrain signals and deliver an updated DBC file so we can monitor and ultimately resolve the battery-depletion issue.

Key Responsibilities & Deliverables

  • Capture and analyze CAN traffic on-vehicle (with driver/technician support)
  • Reverse-engineer undecoded hybrid battery, charging, thermal, and powertrain diagnostic signals
  • Produce a validated, updated DBC file and submit it as a pull request to our repo
  • Re-run captured data against the new DBC to validate signal accuracy
  • Document decoded signals and methodology

Must-Have Skills

  • Hands-on automotive CAN bus reverse engineering experience
  • DBC file authoring/editing
  • Proficiency with Vector CANalyzer/CANoe (or equivalent) for trace capture and analysis
  • Working knowledge of hybrid/EV powertrain and battery management systems (BMS)
  • Comfortable reading raw CAN traces and isolating/decoding unknown signals
  • Version control / Git pull-request workflow

Preferred / Nice-to-Have

  • Direct experience with Toyota hybrid systems (THS) and Toyota diagnostics (Techstream/TIS)
  • Python (or similar) for CAN data analysis
  • Familiarity with AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., Cursor/Claude) — we use these to accelerate decoding
  • Prior work decoding OEM "black box" control modules

Tools & Resources Provided

TIS laptop, CANalyzer, Cursor, Claude, GitHub access, scheduled vehicle time, plus VO driver, technician (TIS access), and supporting/firmware engineers.

Salary Range: $120,000-$135,000/K

The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate's combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

Please beware of job seeker scams and see this important notice on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process.

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.