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Rivian Teams Up with Georgia Tech, Emory, and Georgia State to Cultivate Next-Gen EV Engineers

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  Published in Science and Technology on Thursday, December 18th 2025 at 13:43 GMT by Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Rivian Partners with Georgia Universities to Build a Pipeline of Engineers for the Future of Electric Mobility

In a bold move that underscores its commitment to shaping the next wave of automotive talent, electric‑vehicle pioneer Rivian announced on December 12, 2025 that it will be collaborating with a trio of Georgia’s leading higher‑education institutions – the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Emory University, and Georgia State University – to create a comprehensive program that will train, mentor, and launch the next generation of engineers. The initiative, unveiled during a joint press event at the Georgia Tech campus, is poised to fill a critical talent gap in the burgeoning EV industry while deepening the bond between academia and industry.

A Three‑Way Deal That Goes Beyond Scholarships

While the partnership’s most visible components are a $15‑million scholarship fund and an expansion of the “Rivian Scholars Program,” the real novelty lies in its multi‑layered structure. According to the Rivian press release linked on the company’s newsroom page, the collaboration will include:

1. Industry‑Driven Labs and Facilities
   Rivian will provide an on‑campus, state‑of‑the‑art “Electro‑Motion Lab” at Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The lab will feature high‑speed data‑acquisition rigs, battery‑management‑system prototypes, and a robotics arm that will be used for hands‑on courses and research projects. Funding for the lab is split evenly between Rivian ($7 million) and Georgia Tech ($8 million), with the latter covering ongoing maintenance.

2. Embedded Internships and Mentorship
   Every student enrolled in the program will be guaranteed an internship at Rivian’s headquarters in Irvine, California, or at its upcoming Austin, Texas assembly plant. Interns will rotate through vehicle‑design, power‑train development, software‑in‑the‑loop testing, and even the emerging field of autonomous‑driving algorithm validation. The partnership also pairs students with a Rivian “Mentor‑in‑Residence” – a senior engineer who will provide weekly coaching sessions and career guidance.

3. Research Grants and Co‑Authored Publications
   The alliance extends to joint research, with a $5 million grant earmarked for battery‑materials science projects that will be co‑authored by Rivian scientists and Georgia Tech faculty. The grant will also fund sabbaticals for faculty who wish to spend a semester at Rivian’s R&D facility, ensuring that academic research stays attuned to industry needs.

4. Community Outreach and STEM Pipelines
   Emory’s College of Engineering will spearhead a “Rivian‑Emory STEM Outreach” program that brings robotics kits and coding workshops to middle‑school students in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The initiative also includes scholarships for underrepresented minorities pursuing engineering degrees.

5. Governance and Evaluation
   A joint steering committee, composed of Rivian executives, university deans, and external industry experts, will meet quarterly to assess the program’s impact. The committee will publish annual reports, a tradition that will keep both partners accountable and allow for iterative improvement.

Why Georgia?

Georgia’s strategic position as a manufacturing hub – especially for automotive and aerospace – makes it an ideal location for this partnership. The state’s existing supply‑chain ecosystem, combined with its growing talent pool, ensures that graduates will have ample opportunities both within the university setting and in the broader regional job market.

The Georgia Tech spokesperson, Dr. Maya Patel, emphasized the symbiotic relationship: “Georgia Tech’s curriculum is already highly aligned with the technical demands of the EV industry, but the infusion of Rivian’s real‑world expertise and resources gives our students a head‑start that will be hard to replicate elsewhere.”

Rivian’s CEO, RJ Scaringe, echoed this sentiment. “Building the future of sustainable transportation isn’t just about designing cars; it’s about creating a workforce that can innovate, iterate, and scale solutions at speed. Partnering with Georgia universities allows us to invest directly in that workforce, ensuring that the engineers who will drive our next generation of vehicles are equipped with the best tools, mentorship, and hands‑on experience available.”

What the Program Means for Students

A 2025 article in The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution quoted several incoming freshmen from the program: “The lab is amazing, and the chance to work on real battery technology from day one is a dream.” The scholarships will cover tuition, a living stipend, and a monthly stipend for research-related expenses. The internship component guarantees a pathway to full‑time employment at Rivian, with over 90 % of the program’s alumni in 2023 and 2024 graduating with job offers from the company.

The partnership is also expected to have a ripple effect on the broader Georgia tech ecosystem. According to a 2025 report by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the state already hosts more than 200 battery‑technology startups; the influx of well‑trained engineers is projected to accelerate growth in these nascent firms.

Broader Industry Context

The EV market has seen a meteoric rise in demand for skilled talent over the past decade, and Rivian’s initiative is a direct response to that trend. With its ambitious plans to open a new manufacturing plant in Atlanta’s Northside district, Rivian will create 3,500 new jobs by 2030. A 2025 report from the National Association of Manufacturers highlighted a 37 % projected shortage of automotive engineers by 2028, making partnerships like this a strategic necessity.

Moreover, Rivian’s push into autonomous technologies – a field that requires deep expertise in sensor fusion, machine‑learning, and real‑time data processing – further underscores the need for specialized education. By embedding its R&D teams into the academic fabric, Rivian hopes to accelerate the transfer of cutting‑edge knowledge to the next generation of engineers, while also tapping into fresh perspectives that can inform product development.

Looking Ahead

The partnership is already being described as a “model” for industry‑university collaboration. In addition to the immediate initiatives, Rivian and the Georgia universities plan to:

• Launch a joint entrepreneurship accelerator that will provide seed funding and mentorship to student‑led startups focusing on battery recycling and vehicle‑to‑grid technology.
• Develop a cross‑disciplinary curriculum that integrates mechanical, electrical, software, and data‑science courses, tailored to the EV sector.
• Set up a global talent pipeline that will attract international students, thereby giving Georgia universities a broader, more diverse engineering community.

The partnership’s success will likely be measured in a mix of metrics: the number of internships completed, the number of students securing employment at Rivian or allied firms, and the output of research publications and patents. The steering committee’s quarterly reports will serve as a transparency mechanism, showcasing both achievements and areas needing refinement.

Final Thoughts

Rivian’s collaboration with Georgia universities marks a significant investment in the human capital that will ultimately determine the success of the electric‑vehicle revolution. By leveraging academic resources, providing real‑world experience, and fostering a culture of mentorship and innovation, the partnership is poised to produce a cadre of engineers equipped to tackle the most pressing challenges in sustainable mobility. In a world where the next big leap in transportation hinges on talent as much as technology, Rivian’s strategic alliance with Georgia’s brightest institutions represents both foresight and responsibility – a template that other industry leaders may soon follow.