Manufacturing Engineer, Tabless

What to Expect

Tesla is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to plan, organize, and drive the design, development, commissioning, and continuous improvement of complex, custom manufacturing equipment for our Tabless cell program, based out of our Pilot Plant in Fremont, California. You will own equipment lifecycle management, from design and ramp through sustained production, ensuring lines operate safely, efficiently, and at the highest quality standards.

The pilot battery line is where new cell designs and processes are proven before they scale. You will work in a fast-paced, first-of-its-kind manufacturing environment, designing and iterating on mechanical equipment for processes such as winding (web handling) and laser welding, and building the equipment know-how that carries into our high-volume lines at Gigafactory Texas.

You will work closely with Product Design, Process Engineering, Controls, Quality, Maintenance, and Production teams, as well as external equipment suppliers, to take new equipment from initial concept through prototype, buyoff, and full production.

What You’ll Do

• Drive design, development, and commissioning ramp of complex, custom manufacturing equipment that is the first of its kind at Tesla, including Tabless winding (web handling), laser welding, and related cell assembly processes on the Fremont pilot line
• Design equipment fixtures, process kits, and tooling to add functionality and improve productivity, iterating quickly as Tabless cell designs and processes evolve
• Own CAD for equipment fixtures and process kits, including drafting and reverse-engineering existing parts into controlled Solid Works drawings, with full revision lifecycle management in Solid Works PDM Professional
• Become the owner and subject matter expert for assigned equipment, leading detailed troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and process improvement initiatives
• Troubleshoot and recover automated processes via PLC, HMI, or tool management software, and debug and optimize them to maximize cycle time and uptime
• Develop and manage DFMEA/PFMEA risk assessments to prioritize equipment improvement projects and ensure robust repair strategies
• Lead safety and ergonomic improvements to production equipment that meet or exceed applicable regulations and best practices
• Lead participation in supplier and internal equipment buyoffs, ensuring equipment readiness before production deployment
• Identify critical spare parts and ensure sufficient coverage, and provide hands-on support to the maintenance team to resolve extended downtime
• Build and maintain training materials, maintenance routines, and documentation for the full equipment lifecycle, and capture pilot-line learnings to support transfer of designs to high-volume production at Gigafactory

What You’ll Bring

• Degree with 6+ years of relevant experience, or MS with 3+ years, in mechanical, manufacturing, interdisciplinary/integrated engineering, or equivalent
• 3D CAD design experience (Solid Works preferred) in equipment and fixture design, including layout creation and validation, tooling drawings, and pneumatic and electrical schematics
• Demonstrated experience ramping equipment into manufacturing, including automation equipment, web handling, design of electromechanical systems, PLCs, motion control, and data capture
• Demonstrated experience solving complex electromechanical and software issues with limited documentation to debug problems, build process know-how, and kick off improvement projects
• Structured thinking and problem-solving abilities, proven through root cause analysis (RCCA, fishbone, etc.) using a data-driven approach; statistical software (JMP) a plus
• Strong engineering foundations and aptitude to learn
• Experience with robot programming, backup, and restoration a plus
• Experience with laser welding, winding, or battery cell manufacturing a plus
• Experience in automotive or high-volume manufacturing highly desired
• Excellent spoken and written English