Rivian announces more lay offs (Orange County CA workers)

[WestRivian7000]

Rivian announces new layoffs.

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/04/24/ev-maker-rivian-lays-off-239-orange-county-workers

EV-maker Rivian lays off 239 Orange County workers
Additional layoffs at the EV automaker's Palo Alto facilities have boosted the California total to 479

Irvine-based Rivian Automotive has laid off 239 workers at its Irvine, Costa Mesa and Tustin operations as part of a cost-cutting measure to reduce its headcount by 6%.

Notices sent to the state Employment Development Department show the electric-vehicle automaker cut another 240 jobs at three Palo Alto facilities. That would bring the California total to 479, although the company estimated it would actually be closer to 476.

The layoffs were expected to be completed on or around April 14.

The staffing reductions will impact a variety of positions, including “trail” engineers, geometric design engineers and mechanical engineers, as well as others involved in support services, digital surfacing, security, purchasing, program management, customer service, supply chain service and software engineering.

Rivian said assembly line workers at its manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois will not be affected by the job cuts.

Rivian media representative Harry Porter didn’t elaborate on the staffing cuts when contacted Monday, April 24.

The California workforce reduction is the second in the last year for the EV maker, making for combined cuts of around 800 employees. Rivian had around 14,000 employees worldwide before the latest cuts, according to Bloomberg.

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[mkg3]

These folks probably did not want to move to Normal IL, since Rivian co-located much of the workforce at the factory (as they should).

 

[ironpig]

Sad to see engineering layoffs, but hopefully they still have who they need to engineer the R2 platform and R1 refresh. Probably consolidating the engineering to one location.

If they want to save labor costs, Rivian should be removing the "guides" from their workforce and moving any necessary people to the service centers for order fulfillment. It's never made sense to have a "guide" rather than just dealing with the service center for service and completion of your sales agreement. The vast majority of buyers can complete their 8 steps digitally and then have to deal with the service center for final delivery and paperwork anyway.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

Probably the team designing the manual tonneau cover

 

[bgoldber88]

Thats a bummer. Hope Rivian's giving them some kind of package so that they have time to look for their next gig.

 

[SDH]

a variety of positions, including “trail” engineers, geometric design engineers and mechanical engineers, as well as others involved in support services, digital surfacing, security, purchasing, program management, customer service, supply chain service and software engineering.

WTF do half of these positions actually mean or do?? I reckon post-IPO when they were flush with cash and the world was good they hired anybody and everybody. This cut just looks like someone adding a bit of much needed efficiency. Like a lot of tech companies, carrying way too much fat.

 

[SANZC02]

Must be a slow news day, pretty sure this is part of the Feb 1st announcement of the 6% cut they were planning.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Thats a bummer. Hope Rivian's giving them some kind of package so that they have time to look for their next gig.

Someone I know got axed in the earlier cut. His compensation package was more than fair IMO.

 

[ORFynder]

Sad to see engineering layoffs, but hopefully they still have who they need to engineer the R2 platform and R1 refresh. Probably consolidating the engineering to one location.

If they want to save labor costs, Rivian should be removing the "guides" from their workforce and moving any necessary people to the service centers for order fulfillment. It's never made sense to have a "guide" rather than just dealing with the service center for service and completion of your sales agreement. The vast majority of buyers can complete their 8 steps digitally and then have to deal with the service center for final delivery and paperwork anyway.

I would politely disagree with your guide assessment, as most of the service centers are pretty backed up. I can't imaging having the service centers handling this on top of servicing the current customers. My guide has been great resolving some paperwork issues I had with US regs and other misc. items. The guides I have been in contact with have been overall amazing. just my $.02

 

[SASSquatch]

I would politely disagree with your guide assessment, as most of the service centers are pretty backed up. I can't imaging having the service centers handling this on top of servicing the current customers. My guide has been great resolving some paperwork issues I had with US regs and other misc. items. The guides I have been in contact with have been overall amazing. just my $.02

Tesla, the litmus for efficiency, also employs this model except that they don't call them Guides. You need a a go between who will advocate for you and move the paperwork along.

 

[DuoRivians]

Must be a slow news day, pretty sure this is part of the Feb 1st announcement of the 6% cut they were planning.

Yes it is

 

[ironpig]

I would politely disagree with your guide assessment, as most of the service centers are pretty backed up. I can't imaging having the service centers handling this on top of servicing the current customers. My guide has been great resolving some paperwork issues I had with US regs and other misc. items. The guides I have been in contact with have been overall amazing. just my $.02

Just wait until you have your truck for a while and you’ll realize you are proving my point. My guide was nice too, but his hands were tied because Rivian’s systems all need to go through the service center for order fulfillment and repairs.

I’ve had my truck for a year. Other than 1 phone call going through the buying process with my guide when my 8 steps were enabled, I have never needed a guide. My paperwork was still signed with someone at the service center when I picked up the truck and any issues I’ve had have all gone through the service center.

the idea of having a “guide” assigned to you over the course of your ownership is silly. They need more people at the service centers handling both delivery of new vehicles and service of existing vehicles.

 

[WestRivian7000]

Agree 1

Sad to see engineering layoffs, but hopefully they still have who they need to engineer the R2 platform and R1 refresh. Probably consolidating the engineering to one location.

If they want to save labor costs, Rivian should be removing the "guides" from their workforce and moving any necessary people to the service centers for order fulfillment. It's never made sense to have a "guide" rather than just dealing with the service center for service and completion of your sales agreement. The vast majority of buyers can complete their 8 steps digitally and then have to deal with the service center for final delivery and paperwork anyway.

Agree 100%.

I would politely disagree with your guide assessment, as most of the service centers are pretty backed up. I can't imaging having the service centers handling this on top of servicing the current customers. My guide has been great resolving some paperwork issues I had with US regs and other misc. items. The guides I have been in contact with have been overall amazing. just my $.02

I am curious how many guides they have overall. A majority of the steps in the deliveriy/reservations don't seem to require a guide; really need them just to resolve issues. The most important job they do right now is to give access to the shop which can be automated once the production ramps up.

 

[Dark-Fx]

the idea of having a “guide” assigned to you over the course of your ownership is silly. They need more people at the service centers handling both delivery of new vehicles and service of existing vehicles.

Think of your guide as this exact person you desire that just works remotely. Because all of the paperwork that doesn't require an in-person signature doesn't need a local employee.

 

[JDMD]

Think of your guide as this exact person you desire that just works remotely. Because all of the paperwork that doesn't require an in-person signature doesn't need a local employee.

I thought the Rivian media representative was Harry Potter for a second. That would be cool.

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