Staff Electronic Design Engineer - Zonal ECU

Reposted One Month Ago
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Irvine, CA, USA
Hybrid
154K-212K Annually
Senior level
Automotive • Cloud • Hardware • Software
The Role
Lead end-to-end hardware design of low-voltage zonal ECUs and battery-management modules for automotive applications. Design power electronics (eFUSE, PMIC), ensure signal integrity and EMC, prototype and validate PCBs, perform troubleshooting and failure analysis, support system integration across proto-to-vehicle testing, and ensure compliance with ISO 26262 and automotive standards while collaborating with cross-functional teams.
Summary Generated by Built In
About Us

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.

Role Summary

As a Sr. Electronic Design Engineer, Zonal, you will play a key role in the development of cutting-edge battery-management and zonal hardware which serves as the backbone for power distribution and control functions in our next-generation vehicles. We're looking for a hands-on engineer with a solid foundation in electrical engineering, a passion for innovation, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. Your contributions will directly influence the performance, safety, and efficiency of future software-defined vehicles.

This role is a hybrid position.

Responsibilities
  • Contribute to the full hardware design lifecycle - from concept and requirements ingestion, safety concept, schematic capture, layout, validation, and production.

  • Understand and implement a fault-tolerant power electronics ECU with hundreds of solid-state eFUSEs, distributed and localized power distribution.

  • Design an ECU with a high-compute microcontroller, support power sequencing and sleep states, and manage MCU/ECU IOs allocation.

  • Have knowledge of taking an ECU through the HW development cycle from concept to cradle

  • Collaborate cross-functionally with mechanical, thermal, software, vehicle dynamics, manufacturing, validation, and supply chain teams.

  • Evaluate and integrate new components and technologies (e.g., microcontrollers, high-side drivers, motor drivers), including working with suppliers to co-develop custom solutions.

  • Conduct worst-case circuit analysis, root cause analysis, troubleshooting, and failure investigations on PCBAs and electronic subsystems.

  • Support system integration and validation across build phases — Proto, EVT, DVT, and vehicle-level testing.

  • Ensure compliance with functional safety and regulatory standards (ISO 26262, FUSA, ISO-16750, ISO-25769 etc.).

QualificationsBachelor's or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
  • 4+ years of experience in electronic hardware design, preferably in the automotive industry.

  • Strong foundation in EE fundamentals; safety-hardware development experience is a plus.

  • Experience designing for industrial or automotive environments while supporting the co-development of bootloader & firmware.

  • Familiarity with EMC/EMI design is the best practices; FuSa design experience is a plus.

  • Hands-on experience with lab tools such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, and similar.

  • Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and component release workflows is a plus.

  • Strong problem-solving skills, the ability to break down complex problems into small tasks, and a proactive mindset toward continuous improvement.

  • Experience with Schematic Capture EDA such as Cadence and Altium

Total Rewards

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.

External candidates can apply for this role through the Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies careers site (https://rivianvw.tech/#careers). If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board.

Equal Opportunity

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 [email protected].

Candidate Data Privacy

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.

If you provide a mobile telephone number as part of your application or during the recruitment process, Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use that number to contact you via SMS text message for recruitment-related purposes, including scheduling, logistics, and status updates. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any text message you receive from us. Consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of applying for or being considered for employment.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information.

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Please note this job posting represents an open, active vacancy. Additionally, we are not currently accepting applications from third party application services.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field
  • 8+ years of experience in electronic hardware design, preferably automotive
  • Experience leading full hardware design lifecycle: requirements, schematic, layout, validation, production
  • Hands-on experience with power electronics including eFUSE, PMIC, power sequencing, sleep states, MCU allocation
  • Experience with automotive communication buses and interfaces (CAN, SPI, Ethernet, analog/digital I/O)
  • Familiarity with automotive EMC/EMI design best practices
  • Practical lab experience with oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers
  • Knowledge of ISO 26262 / functional safety and relevant regulatory standards
  • Experience with schematic capture EDA tools such as Cadence and Altium
  • Familiarity with Tier 1 supplier processes and manufacturing constraints
  • Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and component release workflows
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The Company
HQ: Palo Alto, CA
1,885 Employees
Year Founded: 2024

What We Do

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies, LLC is a joint venture creating software-defined vehicle platforms for electric vehicles. Combining Rivians software and zonal architecture with Volkswagens scale, the company develops operating systems, zonal controllers, cloud and connectivity solutions to enable over-the-air updates, simplify vehicle electronics, and accelerate deployment of shared vehicle software across multiple automotive brands and segments.

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