Validation Program Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

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.

As RVT’s ECU portfolio scales across vehicle platforms and brand partner programs, the rigor and speed of our reliability and durability validation programs have never been more critical. Our Electrical Hardware Technical Program Management team is seeking a Senior Technical Program Manager to own the planning, coordination, and execution of R&D validation programs for our ECU product line—ensuring every unit we ship meets the environmental, mechanical, and life-cycle demands of the world’s most demanding automotive applications.

In this role, you will be the connective tissue between test engineers, hardware design teams, internal labs, and third-party test facilities. You will translate program milestones into actionable test schedules, track execution against those plans, surface risks early, and drive issues to closure—all while maintaining clear visibility for stakeholders across the organization.

Your primary domain is reliability and durability: thermal cycling, vibration, shock, humidity, HALT, and accelerated life testing across ECU hardware spanning high-compute Infotainment, Connectivity, and Zonal controllers.

This role requires strong program management instincts, a hands-on technical foundation in hardware validation, and the organizational influence to drive complex, multi-team test programs to successful completion.

• Own and maintain reliability and durability validation program schedules; align test milestones with ECU and vehicle-level program gates across all xVT maturity phases.
• Coordinate test execution across RVT’s internal labs in Northern and Southern California and accredited third-party test facilities; manage capacity, sample allocation, and sequencing.
• Develop and maintain the R&D validation test plan (DVP&R) for assigned ECU programs, ensuring coverage of thermal cycling, vibration, shock, humidity, corrosion, and accelerated life testing.
• Identify, elevate, and actively drive mitigation of program risks related to test schedule, lab availability, sample readiness, and failure closure.
• Support test readiness reviews with ECU TPMs, confirming that R&D test infrastructure, samples, and procedures are in place ahead of each program gate.
• Author and maintain test coordination artifacts: program trackers, status reports, risk registers, and gate review packages for internal and partner audiences.
• Drive continuous improvement of R&D test planning processes, coordination workflows, and reporting practices across the ECU validation team.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience in technical program management, test engineering, or validation coordination in the automotive, aerospace, or consumer electronics industry.
• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field.
• Hands-on familiarity with ECU / PCBA reliability and durability test methods: thermal cycling, vibration (random & sine), mechanical shock, humidity, corrosion, and HALT.
• Experience developing and maintaining DVP&R documents and reliability test plans aligned to automotive standards (ISO 16750, AEC-Q, IEC 60068, or OEM-specific test specs).
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-workstream validation programs—tracking milestones, samples, lab capacity, and cross-team dependencies simultaneously.
• Experience coordinating with both internal test labs and accredited third-party test facilities, including scheduling, sample management, and report review.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to produce clear status reports, risk registers, and gate review packages for engineering and program leadership.
• Experience with Atlassian-based tools including Jira and Confluence for program tracking, documentation, and cross-team coordination.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally to test laboratories, supplier sites, and vehicle program locations as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with EV ECU hardware—Infotainment, Connectivity, BMS, or Zonal controllers—and the unique reliability and environmental requirements of electrified vehicle platforms.

We build the exceptional — and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to a competitive base salary, full-time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program.

Payments are discretionary and not guaranteed; actual amounts depend on company results and the terms of the plan in effect, and require active employment at the time of payout. This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), subject to board approval and the terms of our equity incentive plans, including applicable vesting requirements.

In addition to our compensation programs, we invest in our people with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, wellbeing, and financial future for full-time employees — including health coverage, retirement savings, time off, and family planning programs. Offerings vary by country. Learn more about our global benefit programs.

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.

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) record keeping; (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.

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