Staff Technical Program Manager at Rivian in US-CA-Irvine

Job description

• As a Staff Technical Program Manager on the Upfit Team, you will serve as the strategic engine driving Rivian’s upfitting initiatives, future roadmap planning, and comprehensive product plan. Beyond standard execution, this role requires a visionary leader who will also play a critical part in supporting Rivian's commercial van programs, with an emphasis on driving change management for continuous improvement designs. This is a highly dynamic and fluid environment where priorities shift rapidly. We are seeking a proactive self-starter who doesn't wait for direction, but rather identifies opportunities, defines the work, and drives cross-functional alignment. By leveraging strong data analytics and strategic problem-solving, you will collaborate closely with Product Development, Engineering, Operations, and business partners to evaluate, implement, and scale new solutions for Rivian’s commercial vehicle portfolio.

Responsibilities

• ● Technical Program Leadership: Act as the primary TPM driving strategic upfit initiatives, future product roadmap planning, and comprehensive product and upfit validations.
• ● Commercial Van Program Management: Lead key aspects of the commercial van program, taking ownership of change management for continuous improvement designs to optimize vehicle performance, utility, and partner integration.
• ● Data-Driven Strategy & Analytics: Leverage tools like Databricks, Jira, and emerging AI technologies to build robust analytics reporting, track KPIs, and drive informed, first-principles decision-making across the business.
• ● Agile Execution in a Dynamic Environment: Navigate and thrive in a fast-paced setting where priorities shift frequently. Proactively identify operational gaps, define project scopes, and pioneer process redesigns without waiting for top-down direction.
• ● Cross-Functional Collaboration: Foster operational partnerships with Engineering, Purchasing, Demand Planning, Logistics, and Finance to translate complex vehicle-level requirements into seamless, actionable milestones.
• ● Partner Integration & Alignment: Oversee the end-to-end integration of Authorized and Preferred Upfit partners, ensuring seamless alignment with Rivian’s internal systems, service requirements, and core values.
• ● Strategic Communication: Lead business reviews by providing exceptionally organized, high-impact updates, clearly articulating project status, risks, and actionable recommendations to leadership and external stakeholders.

Requirements

• ● 5-7+ years of experience in technical program management within the Automotive, Tier 1, OEM, or a closely related technical field.
• ● Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in Industrial/Mechanical Engineering, Business, Operations, or Finance.
• ● Commercial Experience: Strong preference for candidates with a background in commercial fleets, commercial vehicles, or B2B enterprise projects.
• ● Technical Stack: Proficiency in Jira and Databricks is essential. Must be fluent in utilizing modern AI tools to accelerate workflows and data analysis. Experience with CAD/Catia/Enovia/PLM is highly preferred.
• ● Strategic Problem Solver: Broad experience defining, launching, and driving strategic process redesign initiatives to improve both internal and external operations.
• ● Self-Starter Mentality: Proven ability to operate autonomously, seeking out innovations and presenting new strategies to continuously improve the organization.
• ● Knowledge of upfitting and general aftermarket product development is a strong plus.
• ● Work Environment: This role requires working onsite at our Rivian facility in Irvine, CA, with the ability to travel occasionally as needed to support business objectives.

Skills

Required

• Jira
• Databricks
• Modern AI tools
• Data analytics
• Strategic problem-solving
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Technical program management
• Process redesign
• Autonomous operation

Preferred

• CAD/Catia/Enovia/PLM
• Commercial fleet/vehicle background
• B2B enterprise project experience

Benefits

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26, including but not limited to paid vacation, paid sick leave, and a competitive portfolio of insurance benefits including life, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance to eligible employees. You may also have the opportunity to participate in Rivian’s 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program if you meet certain eligibility requirements. Full-time employee coverage is effective on their first day of employment. Part-time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment. More information about benefits is available at rivianbenefits.com.
• The salary range for this role is $154,000- 192,500 for Southern California based applicants. The salary range for this role is $140,600-175,800 for Normal, Illinois based applicants. The salary range for this role is $140,600-175,800 for Plymouth, Michigan based applicants. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, shift, and organizational needs.
• The successful candidate may be eligible for annual performance bonus and equity awards.