The Staff ML Software Engineer at Rivian will be integral to the Failsafe team, focusing on the development of high-quality, real-time onboard models and algorithms for sensor reliability and scene hazards. This role emphasizes multi-modal scene understanding to ensure vehicles can handle degraded states effectively. The engineer will oversee the entire lifecycle of the failsafe system, including defining safety metrics and engineering diagnostic algorithms. Collaboration with cross-functional teams is essential to establish safety boundaries and testing benchmarks.

• BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a highly related quantitative field.
• 7+ years of professional experience scaling production-grade ML software for autonomy or robotics.
• Proven track record of hands-on experience building algorithms for autonomous vehicle perception or environmental scene understanding.
• Solid understanding of modern perception pipelines and data representation across multiple modalities (cameras, LiDAR, and Radar).
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Python alongside experience with real-time software performance optimization and latency profiling.

• Lead the design, delivery, and deployment of production-grade, highly reliable failsafe algorithms for L3 and L4 platforms.
• Develop multi-modal models to analyze real-time road conditions, including surface wetness and physical drivability hazards.
• Design intelligent algorithms to trigger automated sensor-cleaning hardware and recovery strategies.
• Architect systems to evaluate and report real-time 3D perception uncertainty and capability limits.
• Partner closely with cross-functional teams to define strict safety boundaries and establish rigorous testing benchmarks.

• 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.