Jonathan Smith Email & Phone Number

San Francisco, Ca, Us

San Francisco, Ca, Us

Irvine, Ca, Us

Leading the data engineering function for the Factory, Service, and Fleet Applications team, I develop and implement a cohesive data strategy that ensures clean, reliable and complete data is available for internal products, services and AI training initiatives.

Irvine, Ca, Us

I led the development of Rivian's first Integrated Planning platform—a commercial digital twin simulation designed for scenario planning and optimization. I started with a simple spreadsheet and a brief to "build a brain to figure this out." From there, I established a clear vision, built and led a skilled team, migrated the solution to Python and developed a scalable, cloud-based platform with thousands of new features. Throughout its evolution, the simulation was consistently operational, playing a crucial role in helping Rivian navigate a period of extraordinary growth and rapid transformation.

Irvine, Ca, Us

Contributed to a diverse set of internal projects, notably developing Rivian's first big-data platform for processing and analyzing vehicle data.

Woking, Gb

I conducted a four-week FMEA-based analysis for a safety-critical system at an autonomous vehicle client, ensuring robust risk management. Following this, I served as the technical lead on a nine-month project with National Air Traffic Services (NATS), focused on optimizing the UK's airspace utilization. My team and I developed the MVP of a 'Performance Optimizer' tool, enabling better visibility and decision-making in airspace management.

London, Greater London, Gb

Completed a full-time Master's in Machine Learning at University College London (UCL), one of the UK's leading institutions in this field. The program encompassed a broad range of topics, including Supervised Learning, Deep Learning, and Natural Language Processing. For my thesis I explored a novel approach to training neural networks inspired by Conformal Prediction, focusing on maximizing the randomness of residuals rather than minimizing errors.

Woking, Surrey, Gb

Designed, developed, and tested traction control software for the McLaren 720S road car. This feature, widely recognized as ‘Drift Mode,’ enables drivers to customize the level of traction control assistance, enhancing the driving experience and allowing for greater control and precision.

Woking, Surrey, Gb

Contributed to multiple overlapping projects across all aspects of powertrain controls and driveability. Developed, tested, and patented an innovative 'pedal map' algorithm that optimizes the relationship between accelerator pedal position and torque demand, enhancing driver engagement. Collaborated on the design and specification of the engine and gearbox controller interactions for improved vehicle pull-away performance. Additionally, designed and implemented software for controlling electronic wastegate valves, optimizing turbocharger performance. These algorithms are now integral to all McLaren vehicles.

Woking, Surrey, Gb

Led the control systems design for the hybrid system of the McLaren P1—the world's first hybrid supercar. Defined system architecture and CAN message specifications to seamlessly integrate the battery system, electric motor and DC-DC converter with the rest of the vehicle. Designed, developed, tested and calibrated advanced algorithms for off-throttle regenerative braking and hybrid torque management, which received a special mention on Top Gear (see video below).

Grove, Oxfordshire, Gb

Worked at a subsidiary of Williams Formula 1 (now GKN Hybrid Power), focused on commercializing electric flywheel energy storage technology for motorsports applications. Spent a year developing embedded control and signal conditioning software in C, delivering solutions in a high-pressure environment where customer teams required rapid turnaround times and exceptional reliability.

Master Of Engineering - Meng, Instrumentation And Control Engineering

Master Of Science - Ms, Computational Statistics And Machine Learning

Exchange Year, Electrical Engineering And Computer Science

Bachelor Of Engineering - Beng, Engineering