Controls Engineering Manager, Cell Assembly

What to Expect

Tesla is seeking a highly motivated Controls Engineering Manager to build and lead a team of Controls Engineers supporting the design and development of new automation equipment and assembly lines for our GFTX Cell Assembly team — advanced cell manufacturing for Tesla Energy Batteries.

The battery is one of the most complex and challenging components designed and manufactured at Tesla, and this role is a chance to help build a world-class manufacturing facility right here in the Bay Area. Tesla is a demanding, fast-paced environment, and this role owns a critical subsystem of some of our most exciting products.

The Controls Engineering Manager will partner with cross-functional teams across the full product and process lifecycle — working closely with Engineering (Design and Manufacturing), Quality, and Production to take new products from initial design through prototype development and into full production.

What You’ll Do

• Lead a team of engineers commissioning and ramping manufacturing lines, including mechanical automation equipment, robots, electromechanical system design, PLCs, motion control, and vision systems
• Lead the team in developing clean, intuitive HMI screens for complex machinery that still provide sufficient feedback for troubleshooting
• Lead a team programming state machines for complex processes involving multi-station parallel processing, pick-and-place automation, data acquisition, and PID control
• Own safety standards (ANSI/RIA15.06, OSHA) and the implementation of reliable controls safety systems to safeguard robots, gantries, conveyors, and other high-volume manufacturing equipment
• Define and manage a well-defined methodology for PLC code structure and backups
• Lead the design of fault-tolerant systems with error handling and recovery, and train technicians to reduce downtime
• Lead the hiring and selection of Controls and Automation Engineers to support mass production
• Lead and manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, and pneumatic/fluid plumbing
• Lead the integration of machine interactions with the plant-wide Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to communicate product acceptability, machine status, and process variables

What You’ll Bring

• 5+ years of proven experience leading a technical team of automation and controls engineers
• Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience (Controls and Computer Control Systems, Mechatronics, Automation Engineering, or related field)
• 10+ years of hands-on experience as a mechanical/manufacturing controls engineer working on automation and/or electromechanical systems
• Advanced proficiency programming ladder/structured logic PLCs (Allen-Bradley Control Logix, Beckhoff, Omron, Siemens) and safety PLCs (Allen-Bradley Control Logix, Smart Guard, Omron, Pilz)
• Experience with HMI/GUI platforms (AB Panel View, Ignition), fieldbus networks (AB Device Net, Ether Net/IP, safety-rated fieldbus networks), and serial (RS-232) and Ethernet communication between PLCs, instruments, and database systems
• Proficiency selecting and integrating circuit protection, wire and cable, sensors, safety hardware, PLC hardware, remote I/O, VFDs, and servo systems
• Experience programming Cartesian, SCARA, and articulated robots (Fanuc, KUKA, etc.) preferred
• Experience with vision systems (Cognex, Keyence, etc.) preferred
• Experience with semi-automated/automated high-speed manufacturing equipment preferred
• Willingness to work with materials and PPE (including nitrile rubber) required in a battery manufacturing environment