Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies
Sr. Electronics Design and Characterization Engineer (Zonal BMS)
Irvine, Orange County · Senior · Full-time
Sponsorship not specified$97k-$145kDetected 34 days ago
PythonCDatabricksData AnalysisLogisticsCorporate LawAltiumElectrical EngineeringHardware DesignCommunication
Stay score
odds of building a lasting career here
54Sponsors, lottery-bound
Cap-exempt (no lottery)0
Sponsors this role80
Entry-level history0
PERM / green-card track0
Lottery odds (Level III)83
Fits your clock70
Sponsors, but it's cap-subject — you still face the weighted lottery (~45% per draw at Level III). Good if you win; have a cap-exempt backup on your list.
Lottery odds assume a STEM candidate.
Personalize to your clock →H-1B wage level
the lottery is wage-weighted — each level is one more entry
Level I$89,6691 entry
Level II$108,6382 entries
Level III$127,5873 entries
Level IV$146,5574 entries
$11,938 more — $108,638 — moves this role to Level II and 2 lottery entries. That figure is inside the range the employer already advertised.
Based on the DOL prevailing wage for this occupation and worksite, a base salary of $108,638 would place this position at wage Level II. That figure is within the posted range, and I'd like to target it. This role classifies under "Materials Engineers" for prevailing-wage purposes.
DOL prevailing wage, 2026-27 wage year · Materials Engineers (17-2131) · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA. Wage level is derived by USCIS from the offered wage, occupation and worksite; the occupation shown is inferred from the job title.
Employer immigration record
from this employer's Department of Labor filings
Files H-1B transfers
41 transfer filings in the last year, covering 41 workers. Median labor-condition decision: 7 days. An employer that already files transfers is one that can take over an existing H-1B.
Sourced from Department of Labor LCA, PERM and prevailing-wage disclosure data. Employer matching is by name, so figures may be split across an employer's legal entities. Absence of a filing means none appears in our copy of the data, not that none exists.
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About the role
- From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we're addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.
- By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we'll map a new way forward.
- Because Zonal controllers feature high-density I/O and complex power switching (high-side/low-side drivers, e-fuses, PWM/H-bridges, and diagnostic circuits), success requires deep expertise in low-level electronics and circuit analysis.
Responsibilities
- Develop detailed design verification and characterization test plans and test requirements for all phases of ECU programs, with input from reliability, design, and firmware teams.
- Perform bench-level characterization at IC and PCBA levels, including high-side driver (HSD) and low-side driver behavior, output current and voltage limits, switching characteristics, wetting current, inrush and inductive kickback, current sense accuracy, quiescent and sleep current, and thermal derating.
- Lead the electronic fuse testing efforts for Zonal ECUs, including I2T characterization, repeatability across temperature, and correlation to design intent.
- Provide early feedback to design engineers regarding design decisions and testability.
- Support creation and present Design for Testability (DFT) reports for ECU designs.
- Leverage AI tooling to analyze characterization datasets at scale - surfacing parametric drift, part-to-part and temperature-dependent variation, outliers, and failure clustering - and turn those findings into concrete design or test recommendations, with sound judgment about verifying AI-generated conclusions before acting on them.
- Participate in the cross-functional effort to root cause non-compliance test results during testing by leveraging data analysis, and drive design, firmware, and test partners to closure on findings.
- We build the exceptional - and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly.
Requirements
- BS/MS or equivalent work experience in Electrical Engineering or related field.
- 7+ years of experience in electronics design, characterization and validation testing.
- Experience using lab instrumentation like oscilloscopes, power supplies, electronic loads, digital multimeters, DAQ, source measure units, current probes, and switch matrices.
- Strong understanding of Electrical Engineering fundamentals and circuit analysis.
- Experience in scripting and data analysis using Python.
- If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board.
Nice to have
- Hands-on characterization experience with zonal/body controllers, power distribution or e-fuse modules, or motor/actuator drivers.
- Familiar with low-level firmware and C programming.
- Experience with Altium Designer.
- Working knowledge of vehicle electrical systems and communication buses (Ethernet, SPI, CAN, LIN, SENT, etc.) and diagnostic protocols (UDS, XCP).
- Experience designing custom PCBAs, load emulation boards, or high-current test fixtures.
- Practical understanding of automotive power fundamentals: load dump and transient immunity (ISO 7637 / ISO 16750), inrush and inductive kickback, current sensing methods (shunt vs.
- Familiarity with ISO 26262 functional safety concepts and characterization evidence for ASIL-rated components.
- Experience in Databricks or similar environment.
Compensation
- $97k-$145k
Benefits
- In addition to a competitive base salary, full-time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program.
- This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), subject to board approval and the terms of our equity incentive plans, including applicable vesting requirements.
- Learn more about our global benefit programs.
- Own test coverage reports and analysis.
Company info
- Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive's next chapter.
- The road to the future is uncharted.
- Working together, we'll create a future that's more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.
- Role Summary
- The Electronics Test and Validation team owns the module-level validation testing for all RV Tech electronic control units (ECUs).
- It is our responsibility to make sure RV Tech electronics are designed and manufactured correctly.
- With this goal in mind, we develop scalable tools, processes, hardware, and software solutions deployed for characterization, validation, and manufacturing.
- In this role, you will be a key individual contributor driving both design review and hardware characterization for vehicle electronics, with a particular focus on Zonal ECUs.
- You are not just assessing finished boards-you will actively review schematics alongside the EE design team early in the cycle, providing critical feedback to optimize the design and architect best-in-class verification methods.
- You will work cross-functionally across hardware engineering to ensure our electronics are built for peak performance, reliability, and seamless bench verification.
Equal opportunity
- Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
- All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.
- We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.
- Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities.
Visa & Work Authorization
- We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status
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This listing is sourced directly from Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.