The Staff Battery Cell Safety Engineer at Rivian is responsible for defining, validating, and managing all cell safety requirements for the company's battery platforms. This role requires deep technical expertise in lithium-ion cell failure mechanisms and abuse testing. The engineer will collaborate with various teams to ensure that battery systems meet high safety and reliability standards. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in advancing battery cell safety and abuse tolerance.

• Roughly 5 years of experience in the battery industry, focused specifically on Li-ion cell safety, failure analysis, and abuse testing.
• Master’s or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Knowledgeable in high voltage battery packs and the future regulatory landscape for high voltage battery packs.
• Familiar with cell abuse testing methodologies and common cell failure modes.
• Expert-level knowledge of Li-ion cell design, thermal abuse behavior, and failure progression.
• Strong understanding of battery regulatory and safety standards.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools and simulation software such as MATLAB and Python.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Define and develop comprehensive cell safety specifications and methodologies, including abuse testing requirements.
• Establish and advocate for internal Rivian cell safety standards that exceed minimum industry and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional safety colleagues and supplier teams to translate higher level safety goals into actionable cell-level safety specifications.
• Coordinate internal technical staff and external third party test resources to oversee and execute cell-level abuse testing programs.
• Analyze test data to identify failure modes, determine root causes, and drive design and manufacturing improvements.
• Develop and implement methods for Thermal Runaway Propagation characterization and mitigation strategies.
• Integrate cell safety requirements into all stages of the cell development cycle.
• Partner with Pack Engineering to ensure cell-level safety inputs are correctly integrated into the battery pack and module design.
• Provide technical input into the Cell Safety DFMEA process.
• Document all safety requirements, test plans, and validation reports.

• 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.