In this interview, we talk with Emily Bidgood about her experience as an intern at Rivian — and her continued journey. Emily recently completed her capstone presentation for the Trail program, and is returning to her home department, Body Engineering, as a design release engineer.
Tell us how you went from an internship to a full-time role at Rivian?
In October of 2019, I received an offer letter for a full-time position in Michigan, after completing my internship at Rivian. Around the same time, the design team that works on the vehicles relocated to Irvine, where a group of directors started an engineering rotational program called Trail. I was also offered a spot with Trail where I would work with different groups for six months at a time over a period of two years. The opportunity sounded cool. I thought the more I could learn about the overall operations of the company, the better.
What are some of the projects you’ve worked on during your rotations?
I started as an associate design release engineer for Body Exterior Mechanisms. Working closely with the vehicle design team, we handled things like the wiper washer systems, exterior mirrors, the panoramic roof and all the glass on the car, etc.
I was there for six months before becoming a development engineer in Testing and Development. I would learn about the car update software, and how to diagnose issues. I supported everyone else to stay on their testing schedules as much as possible and support testing as a development engineer.
What were some of the challenges you faced in school that helped you prepare for your career?
When I was in my fourth year of college, I was the president of a club on campus called the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). I had been in it since my freshman year, and I was in leadership for three of those years. We were trying to grow and evolve the club: increase member numbers, create more impactful social and networking events and engage more diverse industry speakers for our meetings.
At the same time, I was signed up for a lot of courses. I struggled to choose between my class work and this organization, but the work I was doing with ASME meant a lot to me. So I had to create an alternate solution to balance both. I knew I could move one of my classes out to a later semester and that would give me the time to focus on ASME without compromising my schoolwork. What I learned through that was how to figure out who I was based on the things that I prioritize and have a passion for, which was leadership.
“Overall, I think involvement in student organizations in college are what brought me here and helped demonstrate experience for the opportunity.”
What did you want to be when you were growing up? What did you study in school?
As I was growing up, what I wanted to be changed quite often — from doctor or scientist to a toy designer to architect. None of those things ended up being what I actually chose when it came time to apply to college. I went to school for mechanical engineering. I think primarily because I just enjoyed tinkering with things a lot as a kid, asking questions and figuring out how things worked.
My dad was really impactful in that way. He taught me about cars and computers. I was never very interested in cars. I just wanted my car to work. That all changed when I was in college and joined the Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) club on the San Diego State University campus. I joined a formula electric team, so we made our own battery pack and our own suspension components. It was an open-wheel-single-passenger vehicle, so all the components of a vehicle that are usually hidden underneath the chassis or the frame were exposed. It was easy to see how things worked. When I bounced on the car, I could see the suspension moving, all the interactions and the linkages. That’s how I started becoming more curious about the inner workings of vehicles. That curiosity grew into a passion for the automotive industry. I definitely still ask a lot of questions because there's so much to learn. Overall, I think involvement in student organizations in college are what brought me here and helped demonstrate experience for the opportunity.
How did you decide to apply for an internship at Rivian?
A lot of my teammates on FSAE were already super interested in Rivian. They found out about the company after the LA Auto Show in November 2018. And they were obsessed. They were trying to get internships and had sent emails to the recruiting team. I read the website and thought the product and the mission were beautiful. I was like, “Wow, I would love to work for a company like that.”
How did you know Rivian was the right place for you and your career?
During the summer of 2019 when I interned for Rivian, just walking into the Plymouth, Michigan building was life-changing for me. My jaw dropped. Then meeting all the amazing people there and knowing so little about automotive but feeling like my questions were welcomed 100% of the time as an intern; that’s when I knew that Rivian was right for me.
Have you had a mentor or an ally who's guided you or helped you get through a particular challenge or at a particular moment?
Yes, I have the chance to work with a lot of mentors at Rivian, including the ones who were assigned to me when I started. One of my mentors from testing and development taught me about the technical aspects of the vehicle and about electronics. He’s an electrical engineer and I'm a mechanical engineer. He came from seven years at a traditional automotive company, so he's got a lot of experience with electronics and automotive. We've also become really great friends. He's my mentor not only at work, but in life as well. I can go to him with anything.
In one instance, we went to support winter testing in Baudette, Minnesota. It was a wild experience. We were there in extremely cold weather. I've never been in temperatures below like 20 degrees Fahrenheit before. And it was negative 25, with windchill negative 45. So, it was different in that way, but also, I was only a month into Test and Development, so my knowledge base was still developing. I didn't feel necessarily prepared to know what to do on my own. Having somebody there to guide me along and push me in the right direction was extremely helpful.
What do you want to achieve in your career? What problems do you want to solve?
That’s a tough question to answer. I could either be a design release engineer where I’d focus on one or two types of systems for future vehicle lines while creating a few patents along the way. Or, I could become a development engineer and be closer to the vehicles and more hands-on with our pre-production phases.
I know for sure that Rivian's mission is what I want: Keep the World Adventurous Forever. I want my kids’ kids’ kids to have a safe and enjoyable environment to grow up in. I’m exploring everything. I guess maybe that's it. Maybe I just want to explore to try different things and to be adventurous, wherever that may lead.
I'm curious about that. What does adventure mean to you?
Adventure means putting yourself into situations you're uncomfortable in. To push yourself to learn and to grow, to ask questions and stay curious. Whether it be cliff jumping, or visiting a new city, or starting at a company across the country as an intern. That’s what I did, went to Michigan, not knowing what I was going to find, but being prepared to face anything and make the best of it.
“Adventure means putting yourself into situations you’re uncomfortable in. To push yourself to learn and to grow, to ask questions and stay curious.”
What tips do you have for others to thrive inside Rivian, especially as an intern?
Always ask questions. Never be afraid to speak your mind. Be curious, stay curious, meet people, talk to people, expand your network, make connections. All of the above. Also, treat people with respect and be humble. Embrace diversity.
Do you find that individuals at Rivian are open to connecting with you or referring you to other people who might be interesting or valuable to meet?
That’s one of the best things about Rivian. People are willing to take time out of their day to help you. Senior members of my team provide help all the time. For example, when there's a prototype vehicle software update, team members rush to let others know. People from my team have joined interns in vehicles for hours on end, just teaching them how to do something new. I think that's extremely admirable.
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