Software Test Technician

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies
Irvine, CA
On-siteCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Best suited to candidates with automotive testing experience and strong collaboration skills working in a joint venture between Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with automotive testing experience and a proactive, cross-functional collaboration style
    — “Strong interpersonal communication skills and a proactive, cross-functional collaboration style”
  • Individuals with a background in managing vehicle fleets for software validation
    — “Experience managing or maintaining vehicle fleets for testing and validation is a plus”
  • Professionals with knowledge of automotive communication protocols and debugging tools
    — “Working knowledge of automotive electrical systems and vehicle communication protocols (CAN, LIN, Ethernet) and relevant debug tools”

Things to consider

  • Travel requirements may involve domestic and international trips up to 25% of the time
    — “Flexibility to travel domestically/internationally (up to 25%)”
  • A valid driver's license with a clean driving history is mandatory for this role
    — “Valid driver's license with a clean driving history”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with vehicle-level testing and OTA validation in your resume and interviews
    — “Executing vehicle-level testing across the software delivery lifecycle — from main-branch health to monthly over-the-air (OTA) release validation”
  • Emphasize your ability to instrument vehicles and collect data for debugging
    — “Instrument vehicles to collect data for debug and validation”
  • Demonstrate your ability to triage and resolve high-impact vehicle-level problems
    — “Triage issues found during testing and collaborate with cross-functional teams to root cause, prioritize, and resolve high-impact vehicle-level problems”
  • Include experience with software-defined vehicles and integration workflows in your application materials
    — “This role requires vehicle fleet management skills, an understanding of software-defined vehicles, and familiarity with modern software integration workflows”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • validated software features
  • resolved high-impact vehicle-level problems
  • maintained test fleet
Typical background
automotive software testing

Skills & requirements

Required

Automotive Software TestingVehicle Fleet ManagementBug-fix ValidationIntegration TestingVehicle Communication Protocols

Preferred

Automotive Diagnosis And RepairVehicle Integration

About the role

Original posting from Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies via Ashby

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

Join us in advancing the future of electric vehicles at Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies (RVTech) by playing a pivotal role in delivering quality software to our customers. As a Software Test Technician, you will be on the front lines of the software team, executing vehicle-level testing across the software delivery lifecycle — from main-branch health to monthly over-the-air (OTA) release validation. You will have real, hands-on impact on how our vehicles operate while working directly with the latest hardware and software.

This role requires vehicle fleet management skills, an understanding of software-defined vehicles, and familiarity with modern software integration workflows. You will collaborate closely with software development, integration, validation, and technician teams to ensure stable software delivery across programs and variants.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Execute vehicle-level testing across the software delivery lifecycle — smoke, regression, and integration on both main-branch and release-branch software — following structured test plans covering functional verification, bug-fix validation, and integration coverage.
  • Perform hands-on ad-hoc and exploratory testing to validate feature maturity and stability.
  • Manage the test fleet — install OTA updates, maintain software configurations, and instrument vehicles to collect data for debug and validation.
  • Triage issues found during testing and collaborate with cross-functional teams to root cause, prioritize, and resolve high-impact vehicle-level problems.
  • Support the broader test and technician community with vehicle prep, upkeep, and debug of vehicle-specific issues.
  • Perform other duties as required or assigned within the scope of the position.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • 2+ years of experience in automotive software testing, test or factory operations, or automotive diagnosis and repair (3+ years preferred)
  • Working knowledge of automotive electrical systems and vehicle communication protocols (CAN, LIN, Ethernet) and relevant debug tools
  • Understanding of dependencies between electrical and mechanical systems
  • Experience with systems engineering, automotive network architecture, or vehicle integration is a plus
  • Experience managing or maintaining vehicle fleets for testing and validation is a plus
  • Strong interpersonal communication skills and a proactive, cross-functional collaboration style
  • Demonstrated ability to learn new skills quickly and work in a fast-paced development environment
  • Strong understanding of vehicle safety concepts and testing-related safety procedures
  • Valid driver's license with a clean driving history
  • Professional experience driving prototype test vehicles on test tracks is a plus
  • Flexibility to travel domestically/internationally (up to 25%)

TOTAL REWARDS

We build the exceptional — and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to a competitive base salary, full-time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program.

Payments are discretionary and not guaranteed; actual amounts depend on company results and the terms of the plan in effect, and require active employment at the time of payout. 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.

In addition to our compensation programs, we invest in our people with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, wellbeing, and financial future for full-time employees — including health coverage, retirement savings, time off, and family planning programs. Offerings vary by country. Learn more about our global benefit programs https://rvtech.mybenefits.life/.

External candidates can apply for this role through the Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies careers site (https://rivianvw.tech/#careers). If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board https://app.ashbyhq.com/internal/job-board/b10a9912-eb45-4a84-9a34-84b2a459923a.

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. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.

CANDIDATE DATA PRIVACY

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 Group 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.

If you provide a mobile telephone number as part of your application or during the recruitment process, Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use that number to contact you via SMS text message for recruitment-related purposes, including scheduling, logistics, and status updates. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any text message you receive from us. Consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of applying for or being considered for employment.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) https://assets.ctfassets.net/2md5qhoeajym/53otRWdzXPzSdWPgiel5T/07c61b0eed2d91f2f403f788fd20d315/RVTech_Candidate_Data_Privacy_Notice_-_Nov_2024.pdf and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) https://assets.ctfassets.net/2md5qhoeajym/40xUZMehbGToclkLqWXW0E/eb5b553bd8af7c607066253fbb227bda/RVTech_Candidate_Data_Privacy_Notice_-_Nov_2024_Serbian.pdf for more information.

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Please note this job posting represents an open, active vacancy. Additionally, we are not currently accepting applications from third party application services.

Source: Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies careers (Ashby)

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