Tesla

Makes electric cars, robotaxis and grid batteries

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer - Novel Mechanisms, New Programs

Design EngineeringConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeHawthorne, CA, USANo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience, is required.
At least 5 years of relevant mechanical design experience and a track record of taking systems from concept to production are required.
A strong background in tribology, wear analysis, and material selection for demanding contact applications is required, including experience with seals, wipers, sliding interfaces, or similar moving-contact mechanisms.
Proficiency in parametric or knowledge-based computer-aided design (CAD) and finite element analysis (FEA) at part and system level is required, along with the ability to interpret computer-aided engineering (CAE) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results and translate them into robust design decisions.
Strong geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) fundamentals and tolerance stack-up analysis skills are required.
The candidate must be self-directed, comfortable with ambiguity, and able to drive projects with minimal oversight.
The candidate must have communication skills and the ability to influence across functions.

Responsibilities

Own the full lifecycle of a complex, deployment-capable mechanism system, from initial architecture through prototyping, design validation/process validation (DV/PV), and production launch.
Drive system-level trade studies that balance mass, cost, durability, and performance under demanding operational conditions.
Develop and validate solutions for dynamic sealing and contact interfaces in harsh, high-load environments, focusing on wear resistance and material compatibility.
Lead cross-functional alignment with Design Studio, Manufacturing Engineering, and Vehicle Integration to resolve feasibility and packaging constraints.
Build and maintain kinematic and structural simulation workflows and correlate them with physical test data.
Author and own component specifications, system design verification plans and reports (DVP&Rs), and design failure mode and effects analyses (DFMEAs), ensuring compliance with relevant market regulations.
Support prototype fabrication, off-site testing, and vehicle build events through production launch.

Desired Qualifications

Experience with deployable mechanisms, dynamic sealing, tribology, and high-performance or motorsport applications is highly valued.

Category	Engineering & Information Technology
Location	Hawthorne, California
Requisition ID	269046
Type	Full-time

Job Description

<p>The New Programs Engineering team works at the front end of vehicle design and development, operating in an iterative environment to study, simulate, build, and prove Tesla's future vehicle design concepts. This position will own a first-of-kind vehicle system from early concept through validation and into mass production. You will frequently interact with Design and Vehicle Engineering teams, most closely with Exteriors, Body-in-White, Chassis, and Electrical Systems. This is a hands-on mechanical design engineering role where product design expertise, a first-principles approach to problem solving, and the ability to navigate ambiguity on novel systems are essential. We are looking for an engineer who thrives on bringing clean-sheet concepts to life and can drive technical decisions independently. Experience with deployable mechanisms, dynamic sealing, tribology, and high-performance or motorsport applications is highly valued.</p>

Job Responsibilities

Own the full lifecycle of a complex, deployment-capable mechanism system—from initial architecture through prototyping, DV/PV, and production launch
Drive system-level trade studies balancing mass, cost, durability, and performance under demanding operational conditions
Develop and validate solutions for dynamic sealing and contact interfaces operating in harsh, high-load environments with a focus on wear resistance and material compatibility
Lead cross-functional alignment with Design Studio, Manufacturing Engineering, and Vehicle Integration to resolve feasibility and packaging constraints
Build and maintain kinematic and structural simulation workflows and correlate with physical test data
Author and own component specifications, system DVP&Rs, and DFMEAs while ensuring compliance with all relevant market regulations
Support prototype fabrication, off-site testing, and vehicle build events through production launch

Job Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience
5+ years of relevant mechanical design experience with a track record of taking systems from concept to production
Strong background in tribology, wear analysis, and material selection for demanding contact applications, including experience with seals, wipers, sliding interfaces, or similar moving-contact mechanisms
Proficiency in CAD (parametric/knowledge-based) and FEA at part and system level, with ability to interpret CAE/CFD results and translate into robust design decisions
Strong GD&T fundamentals and tolerance stack-up analysis skills
Self-directed and comfortable with ambiguity, with proven ability to drive projects with minimal oversight
Excellent communication skills and ability to influence across functions

About the Company

Tesla

Makes electric cars, robotaxis and grid batteries

Tesla makes electric cars and batteries that store power for homes and utilities, and it develops self-driving software and humanoid robots. In 2023, its Model Y became the first electric vehicle to rank as the world's best-selling car. Buyers order the Model 3 sedan, Model Y SUV, or Cybertruck pickup directly from Tesla instead of through dealers, and they charge on its Supercharger fast-charging network. It also sells Megapack and Powerwall batteries, runs a robotaxi service, and charges drivers a monthly fee for self-driving software that still needs their supervision. Tesla was founded in 2003, with Elon Musk as its lead early investor and a recognized co-founder, and it is based in Austin, Texas.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Founded: 2003

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