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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Staff Technical Program Manager, Vehicle Validation - **Company:** Rivian - **Location:** Irvine, CA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Systems Engineering, Confluence, JIRA, Data Systems, Failure Mode Effects Analysis, Verification and Validation (Software), Jama (Software) - **Published:** May 20, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=543cf3973e528737 ## About the Role Do you have experience in Systems engineering?, * Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field. * Typically 8+ years of experience in automotive or complex electro-mechanical products, including significant experience in technical program management, systems engineering, validation, or similar cross-functional leadership roles. * Deep understanding of vehicle development milestones, systems engineering, and how DVPs, DFMEAs, requirements, and build phases support validation and launch decisions. * Demonstrated experience planning and orchestrating validation at the vehicle or major subsystem level, including DVP creation, asset planning, schedule integration, and test or issue closure. * Strong fluency with tools such as Jira, Confluence, Jama, dashboards, and related data systems to drive decisions, not just reporting. * Proven ability to influence across functions and levels, operate with limited supervision, lead projects with diverse stakeholders, and make a compelling case for change. ## Description Vehicle Validation at Rivian ensures every product delivers exceptional function, quality, reliability, and real-world performance. We perform verification and validation against data-driven requirements that reflect how our customers use our vehicles, connecting DFMEAs, requirements, and validation plans into a cohesive, decision-oriented process. As a Staff Technical Program Manager, Vehicle Validation, you will lead the vehicle-level validation roadmap across programs from concept through launch and beyond. You will provide the program management spine that aligns vehicle-level DVPs, validation assets and build plans, cross-functional timing, risk, and readiness, while raising the bar on how Rivian plans, governs, and improves validation across the function. * Own and continuously improve the integrated vehicle validation roadmap from concept through engineering sign-off, with decision-ready deliverables. * Translate DFMEA, NUDD, requirements, and known product risks into an integrated vehicle validation strategy across Rivian's validation pillars. * Build and maintain the integrated vehicle validation plan, including what tests run when, on which vehicles, at what maturity, and with what configuration. * Lead cross-functional alignment across engineering, program, test, manufacturing, launch, service, quality, and other partner teams to align validation coverage, asset plans, timing, and readiness. * Re-plan quickly when content, software, build timing, or readiness changes create risk, maintaining a credible path to key milestones and launch. * Establish dashboards and metrics, audit DVP and SDVP coverage, and provide clear, data-backed updates that support accountability and fast decision-making. * Proactively identify gaps and risks, drive mitigation and issue closure, and ensure findings are fed back into requirements, DFMEAs, and future plans. * Apply validation governance and continuous improvement efforts, including standardizing methods and tools. ## Related Videos - [Improving quality with Agentic AI with Rovo Dev and Xray](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2005-improving-quality-with-agentic-ai-with-rovo-dev-and-xray) - [Agile work at CARIAD – Creating a customer web application for controlling the vehicle ](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/200-agile-work-at-cariad-creating-a-customer-web-application-for-controlling-the-vehicle) - [From Messy Queries to Scalable Systems - How Data Engineering actually works](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100203-from-messy-queries-to-scalable-systems-how-data-engineering-actually-works) - [42 x 2 Canvases Later: Two Years, Two Minds, Many Lessons](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1458-42-x-2-canvases-later-two-years-two-minds-many-lessons) - [A Founder's Journey : From Startup Chaos to Purposeful Growth](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1926-a-founder-s-journey-from-startup-chaos-to-purposeful-growth) - [Building a hypercar from scratch](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/607-building-a-hypercar-from-scratch) ## Related Articles - [How software is steering vehicle technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/515-how-software-is-steering-vehicle-technology) - [From developer to manager – what does it take to become an engineering manager?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/42-from-developer-to-manager-what-does-it-take-to-become-an-engineering-manager) - [Résumé-Driven Development: How IT trends affect the job market for software developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/59-resume-driven-development-how-it-trends-affect-the-job-market-for-software-developers) - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Should Tech Managers Be Developers First? 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