Role Overview

Join Rivian as a Hardware System Engineer in our cutting-edge Autonomy Hardware and Sensing Systems team in Palo Alto, California. Rivian is revolutionizing the automotive industry with emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles designed for the outdoors. As a Hardware System Engineer, you'll play a pivotal role in developing our next-generation hardware platform that powers advanced vehicle performance and autonomous driving capabilities. This position demands expertise in SoC validation, FPGA design, and embedded systems to push the boundaries of what's possible in electric vehicle technology.

At Rivian, we don't just build cars—we create adventure-ready platforms that protect the planet for future generations. Your work will directly impact our autonomous driving systems, ensuring seamless integration of sensors, processors, and interfaces for real-time vehicle intelligence.

Key Responsibilities at Rivian

• Work closely with the SoC validation team to refine and execute comprehensive SoC validation plans for next-gen hardware.
• Leverage C/C++ software and FPGA technology to rigorously validate SoC designs and enable internal functional blocks.
• Develop and deploy automatic testing tools while generating detailed test coverage reports for full traceability.
• Build specialized benchmark tools to evaluate critical hardware metrics like throughput, latency, resource utilization, IO bandwidth, and compute frequency.
• Enable and validate SoC peripheral interfaces including JTAG, I2C, UART, SPI, Ethernet, DDR, and PCIe.
• Contribute to camera data processing pipelines involving MIPI interfaces, ISP, and video encoders for autonomy sensing.
• Maintain meticulous documentation of validation progress and results in Rivian's proprietary tracking systems.
• Collaborate across cross-functional teams to accelerate hardware platform development for production vehicles.
• Analyze performance bottlenecks and optimize hardware systems for autonomous driving applications.

Qualifications & Requirements

To succeed as a Hardware System Engineer at Rivian, you need a solid technical foundation and hands-on experience:

• Required: Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
• Required: Strong proficiency in C/C++ programming and scripting languages (Python, Linux shell, etc.)
• Required: Deep knowledge of FPGA design principles and Verilog hardware description language
• Required: Excellent analytical skills, written/verbal communication, and proven team collaboration
• Preferred: Master's Degree with focus on platform/embedded software development
• Preferred: Prior experience with AMD Zynq FPGA and Petalinux development environments
• Preferred: Hands-on work with SoC peripherals: JTAG, I2C, UART, SPI, Ethernet, DDR, PCIe
• Preferred: Experience in camera data processing including MIPI interfaces, ISP, and video encoding

Rivian values diverse backgrounds united by passion for innovation and outdoor adventure. If you thrive in unknown territories and love solving complex hardware challenges, this is your opportunity.

Salary & Benefits

Salary Range: $105,000 - $131,000 annually for Palo Alto, CA-based Hardware System Engineers (determined by experience, skills, and other factors).

• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance
• Full-time coverage starts Day 1 of employment
• Part-time coverage after 90 days
• Family coverage includes spouse/domestic partner and children up to age 26
• Equal opportunity employer with ADA accommodations
• Cutting-edge work on autonomous EV hardware
• Mission-aligned culture protecting the outdoors
• Collaborative, diverse engineering teams

Why Join Rivian?

Rivian isn't just an EV manufacturer—we're adventurers building the future of sustainable mobility. Our Palo Alto team is at the forefront of autonomy hardware innovation, developing SoC platforms that enable Level 4+ autonomous driving in adventure vehicles. You'll work with top talent on AMD Zynq FPGAs, high-speed interfaces, and real-time sensing systems that power Rivian's R1T, R1S, and commercial fleets.

Experience a culture that challenges conventions, embraces the unknown, and prioritizes planetary protection. From Day 1, you'll impact vehicles that keep the world adventurous forever. Plus, enjoy Palo Alto's vibrant tech ecosystem while contributing to meaningful climate solutions.

How to Apply

Ready to validate the future of autonomous EVs? Apply now for the Hardware System Engineer position at Rivian. Submit your resume highlighting C/C++, FPGA/Verilog experience, and SoC validation projects. Rivian is an equal opportunity employer committed to diverse hiring. Need accommodations? Email candidateaccommodations@rivian.com. Don't miss this chance to shape Rivian's next-gen hardware platform—positions fill quickly!