Sr. Automation Engineer, Vehicle Access

Sr. Automation Engineer, Vehicle Access

About Us Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. 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. The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

Role Summary

This position is for the Vehicle Access System Test team. In this role, you will be responsible for end‑to‑end automation development, CI/CD integration, and system‑level validation across multiple vehicle platforms. You will lead automation framework design, enable scalable test execution pipelines, and collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams to ensure high‑quality releases for critical vehicle access features such as BLE, NFC, UWB, and CCC.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain robust automation frameworks for Vehicle Access testing across multiple vehicle and mobile platforms.
• Develop and execute automated test suites to validate new features, regression, and integration scenarios.
• Integrate automation into CI/CD pipelines (GitLab, Jenkins, etc.) for continuous validation and faster feedback cycles.
• Manage and monitor automated test benches, ensuring optimal uptime, safety, and maintenance of test setups.
• Source, design, and build custom test hardware solutions to support automated validation.
• Develop dashboards and metrics (Allure, Grafana, etc.) to visualize automation results and drive data‑driven decision making.
• Perform root cause analysis and triage on automation and system‑level issues in collaboration with developers, system engineers, and QA.
• Mentor junior engineers and drive best practices in coding standards, CI/CD, and system integration testing.
• Collaborate with hardware, software, and mobile app teams to ensure seamless integration of automation across different layers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Software Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in automation development, validation, or CI/CD engineering.
• Strong Python programming skills; knowledge with C/C++ is a plus.
• Deep understanding of object‑oriented programming and automation design patterns.
• Proven experience in CI/CD pipeline development and integration (GitLab CI, Jenkins, etc.).
• Solid understanding of electromechanical systems and system integration workflows.
• Strong problem‑solving, debugging, and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across multi‑disciplinary teams.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with automotive communication protocols (CAN, UDS, LIN).
• Hands‑on experience with robotic or hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) automation setups.
• Knowledge of Linux fundamentals and scripting.
• Familiarity with wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi, and UWB.
• Experience in Android/iOS test automation (Appium, XCTest, or similar).
• Exposure to containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes) is a plus.

Pay Disclosure

Salary Range/Hourly Rate for California Based Applicants: $146,900 - $183,600 USD (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).

Benefits Summary

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full‑time and part‑time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Full Time Employee coverage is effective on the first day of employment. Part‑Time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment.

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.

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian and VW Group Technologies (“Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies”) may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) record‑keeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian and Volkswagen Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions. Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information. Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.