Job Description

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 We are seeking a skilled AI Research Engineer specializing in Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and Text-to-Speech (TTS) to advance our vehicle voice assistant technology. You will be responsible for designing, training, and optimizing speech models to enable seamless and natural communication between users and their vehicles. This role combines expertise in speech processing, deep learning, and deployment of AI systems, working at the intersection of cutting-edge research and real-world applications. Responsibilities ● Design and develop ASR and TTS models using advanced deep learning techniques. ● Train, fine-tune, and evaluate speech models for optimal performance in vehicle environments. ● Collaborate with data engineers to procure and preprocess high-quality audio datasets. ● Optimize models for low-latency and resource-constrained in-vehicle systems. ● Research and improve noise robustness, multilingual capabilities, speech naturalness. ● Integrate and test ASR and TTS systems in real-world scenarios for high accuracy and reliability. ● Work with cross-functional teams to ensure technical solutions meet user needs. ● Stay updated on speech technology advancements and apply improvements. Qualifications ● MS or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with a focus on speech processing or machine learning. ● 3+ years of experience in ASR, TTS, or related domains. ● Proficiency in deep learning frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch. ● Strong understanding of signal processing, phonetics, and speech recognition or synthesis pipelines. ● Experience with deploying ASR/TTS models in production environments. ● Knowledge of model optimization techniques for efficiency and scalability. ● Strong programming skills in Python and familiarity with C++ for performance-critical components. Preferred Qualifications: ● Hands-on experience with transformer-based architectures (e.g., Wav2Vec, Whisper, Tacotron, FastSpeech). ● Familiarity with real-time streaming ASR and TTS systems. ● Experience with multilingual or domain-specific speech systems. ● Understanding of human factors and user-centric design in voice interfaces. ● Knowledge of natural language processing (NLP) techniques for contextual understanding. ● Excellent problem-solving and teamwork skills, with the ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Pay Disclosure Salary Range/Hourly Rate for California Based Applicants: 206,500 USD - 258,100 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 employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Coverage is effective on the first day 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. 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 [email protected]. 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) recordkeeping; (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. Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.