JobsStaff ML Engineer, Hardware Software Co-Design
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Staff ML Engineer, Hardware Software Co-Design

Rivian

Location

Palo Alto, CA

Type

Full-time

Posted

6/16/2026

Compensation

$206,000 - $258,000 per year

Undergraduate with 5+ Years of Experience
H-1B FY202697.5% approval+60% YoY
👑 Elite sponsor

Job description

Rivian is seeking an Engineer / Research Scientist with expertise in quantized deep learning models for hardware acceleration in autonomous systems. This role involves bridging perception model design and hardware-aware deployment to enhance the efficiency of high-performance perception algorithms on embedded platforms. The successful candidate will focus on researching advanced perception models and developing optimization pipelines tailored for real-time performance and energy efficiency. The position requires collaboration with various teams to align model optimization efforts with hardware capabilities and autonomy requirements.

Requirements

  • Ph.D. or M.S. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field with a focus on ML compilers, embedded systems, or hardware-aware AI.
  • Hands-on experience with quantized model deployment, ML design stacks, and code generation for embedded or heterogeneous compute systems.
  • Strong understanding of computer vision models such as object detection and segmentation, and their optimization for edge inference.
  • Proficiency in deep learning frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow, as well as their low-level IRs or export formats like ONNX.
  • Solid programming skills in C++ and Python.
  • Familiarity with CUDA/OpenCL or other accelerator programming models.

Responsibilities

  • Research state of the art perception models in collaboration with the ADAS software teams.
  • Lead the development of optimizations for mapping quantized perception models to embedded and heterogeneous hardware platforms.
  • Design and implement hardware-aware optimizations, including quantization strategies and model compression.
  • Collaborate with hardware teams to co-optimize model architecture and compute pipeline under real-time constraints.
  • Benchmark and analyze system performance across platforms to achieve optimal deployment efficiency.
  • Partner with perception, systems, and autonomy teams to align model optimization efforts with hardware roadmap and real-world autonomy requirements.

Benefits

  • Employees at Rivian are often offered comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) with company match, ESPP and potential RSU grants, performance bonuses, and generous time off including paid parental and sick leave. Perks can include 24/7 mental-health coaching and therapy, Hinge Health for Anthem enrollees, tuition assistance and professional development, plus on-site food and a wide range of employee discounts on items like computers, mobile phones, home loans, and pet care.

H-1B filing history

Public USCIS petition and DOL LCA counts · latest USCIS FY2026, LCA FY2026

Filing entity: Rivian Automotive Llc

As of Aug 23, 2026

Initial approvals

101

FY2026

Approval rate

97.5%

FY2026

LCA certified

258

FY2026

Entry-level share

3.9%

FY2026

Initial approvals YoY

+60%

Trend

LCA certified YoY

-42%

Trend

Initial approvals by fiscal year

Approval rate by fiscal year

Continuing vs initial approvals

LCA certified positions by quarter

LCA certified positions by fiscal year

Based on public USCIS and DOL filings; not a sponsorship guarantee.

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