Principal Battery Cell Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

About Rivian
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.
Responsibilities

• Execute lithium-ion battery cell tests including electrical, mechanical, and electrochemical testing.
• Define SOP, prioritize tests, track and communicate test status to different groups of cell engineers and scientists.
• Write test scripts and set up programs to run tests automatically with different cyclers and chambers.
• Collaborate with data engineers to process data, maintain cell testing databases and develop automated data post-processing and report generation scripts.
• Analyze and present test results to cell engineers and scientists and support cross functional teams with test reports if needed.
• Contribute to automating the entire testing process from test requests to delivery of test results report.
• Work closely with test engineers and technicians to plan and execute long/medium/short-term priorities.
• Develop and implement lab KPIs, using scripts, to analyze lab operation and improve productivity.
• Design test fixture to improve testing capability and accuracy and extract representative and meaningful data.
• Collaborate with equipment vendors to source and integrate external systems to Rivian cell testing lab.
• Maintain lab space and equipment, perform equipment calibration and troubleshooting as needed.

Qualifications

• Must have:
  
  • MS degree in an engineering discipline with experience in testing of lithium-ion battery cells/packs.
  • 3+ years of industry experience in battery cell testing, writing/validating test scripts, analyzing and
    presenting test results.
  • Good understanding of cell performances metrics and how to evaluate them with testing and other
    analysis.
  • Good understanding of electrochemical processes in various lithium-ion chemistries.
  • Experience in python and SQL database, capable to write scripts.
  • Excellent attention to detail and critical thinking.
  • Problem solving skills, outside of the box thinking and proactivity.
  • Desire to work in fast-paced environment and willing to make an extra effort to get the job done.
  • Passionate about research/work in lithium-ion batteries, especially for EV application.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Nice to have:
  
  • Familiar with cell teardown, CT scan and other lithium-ion battery analysis methodologies and tools.

Pay Disclosure
The salary range for this role is USD 107,800 - 134,800 for 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 September 20, 2026.
Equal Opportunity
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.
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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.
AI does not make hiring decisions: Qualified candidate applications are reviewed by a member of our team, and all decisions throughout the process are made by humans. We use AI to support efficiency and consistency, not to replace human judgment. We are committed to a fair, thoughtful, and equitable experience for every candidate.
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