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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Staff Technical Program Manager, Autonomy - **Company:** Rivian - **Location:** Palo Alto, CA, United States - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Data Sharing, Machine Learning, Scrum Methodology, Systems Integration, Information Technology, Machine Learning Operations, Data Pipelines - **Published:** August 3, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=5906cdfe7be69946 ## About the Role * Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience, with a strong foundation in areas relevant to AI/ML. * Experience in Technical Program Management on deep tech products or equivalent, specifically managing programs involving AI/ML components and data pipelines. * Hands on experience with ML-based products including evaluation with metrics driven analysis. * Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate to external partner organizations to drive shared outcomes for Rivian, especially when collaborating on data sharing, model deployment, or platform integration related to AI/ML., * Experience with Autonomy systems, Robotaxis, and/or Robotics, particularly involving the integration and management of complex AI/ML models. * ML development in resource-constrained environments, demonstrating an understanding of the practical challenges of deploying ML on automotive-grade hardware. * You enjoy prototyping random side projects in your spare time, ideally related to AI/ML or robotics. ## Description The Autonomy TPM team plays a key role in driving the most important initiatives within the Autonomy organization at Rivian. If you are looking for a team that just takes notes or is just a scrum master, this is not it. We are here to execute cross-functional projects that a) require tight coordination and dependencies, involving everything from sense and compute HW, Perception & Pose (heavily reliant on ML), Planning & Controls, Infrastructure & Simulation (critical for ML model training/validation), Systems Definition, Integration & Triage, etc., and b) need to be delivered in order to build a great Autonomy product. * Lead programs consisting of cutting edge technology projects, particularly ones that intersect with hardware, software, and regulatory constraints. * Exercise strong ownership over programs they lead, including diving into the technical details to drive smooth execution and briefing the VP of Autonomy & AI on progress and risks. * Drive pragmatic decisions and tradeoffs to maximize probability of hitting critical timelines, considering factors unique to ML projects such as model iteration speed, data annotation pipelines, and compute resource allocation. * Manage ambiguity by presenting options with a clear point of view for leadership, particularly concerning feature readiness, evaluation metrics, and performance trade-offs. * Understand the role of TPM as an insider/outsider, someone who drives accountability through influence and soft power rather than hard power and authority. * Mentor other TPMs on the team and help them grow their craft as TPMs, sharing expertise in managing ML-centric technical programs. ## Related Videos - [How Machine Learning is turning the Automotive Industry upside down](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/61-how-machine-learning-is-turning-the-automotive-industry-upside-down) - [Smart City, Smart Mobility](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/954-smart-city-smart-mobility) - [Why and when should we consider Stream Processing frameworks in our solutions](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1085-why-and-when-should-we-consider-stream-processing-frameworks-in-our-solutions) - [Introduction to Azure Machine Learning](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/368-introduction-to-azure-machine-learning) - [What non-automotive Machine Learning projects can learn from automotive Machine Learning projects](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/397-what-non-automotive-machine-learning-projects-can-learn-from-automotive-machine-learning-projects) - [How to develop an autonomous car end-to-end: Robotic Drive and the mobility revolution](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/22-how-to-develop-an-autonomous-car-end-to-end-robotic-drive-and-the-mobility-revolution) ## Related Articles - [How software is steering vehicle technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/515-how-software-is-steering-vehicle-technology) - [How to Become an AI Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/331-how-to-become-an-ai-engineer) - [Coffee with Developers - Maria Apazoglou - Making AI understandable for all in production](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/475-coffee-with-developers-maria-apazoglou-making-ai-understandable-for-all-in-production) - [MLOps And AI Driven Development](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/82-mlops-and-ai-driven-development) - [What is Agentic Programming and Why Should Developers Care?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/625-what-is-agentic-programming-and-why-should-developers-care) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift)