Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Battery Pack / Module

Job Description

As a Manufacturing Engineer in Tilburg, you will lead the development and launch of manufacturing lines for our advanced battery products, taking them from early concept development through equipment specification, build-out, optimization, and handover to local operations teams. You will define and implement the processes that produce high-quality battery modules and packs, and continuously improve existing equipment in a fast-paced production environment. 

You will drive multiple parallel projects, production lines, and product changes — taking battery design changes from initial concept through prototype development into full production, and adapting existing equipment to changing requirements. You will work closely with Design Engineering, NPI, Quality, Process, Controls, Equipment, Production, Purchasing, Industrial Engineering, and external line builders. 

Battery manufacturing is at the heart of our company, and this is an opportunity to work directly on one of the central challenges in electric vehicles. Tesla is a demanding and fast-paced environment where you will work with a highly motivated team on extremely challenging projects. The ideal candidate is well organized with meticulous attention to detail, works hands-on in production to fully understand scope and impact, and has the appetite to study new technologies to an expert level. 

Job Responsibilities

• Lead concept development, design, and build-out of new manufacturing lines and equipment, ideating equipment and system concepts that balance product specifications, process capability, layout, cost, quality, and lead time 

• Define and develop the manufacturing processes for new battery products, and validate and optimize them from early prototype builds through to full volume production 

• Develop equipment specifications, manage the RFQ process, lead vendor selection and decision analysis, and manage external line builders and suppliers through to delivery — running multiple projects in parallel 

• Lead on-site installation, commissioning, and qualification of equipment, ensuring proper validation and production start-up through FAT, SAT, run-at-rate, OEE and availability verification, and clearly defined transfer-of-ownership criteria 

• Provide detailed Design for Manufacture assessments and critical reviews of product, process, and tooling designs, and lead tooling and fixture design in CAD, creating detailed drawings for CNC and manual machining, welding, and sheet metal fabrication 

• Coordinate equipment layout, material flow, utility requirements, and facility readiness to ensure successful line installation and start-up 

• Define and achieve OEE, throughput, and cycle time targets, and drive continuous improvement of existing equipment and processes to raise yield, capacity, and cost efficiency 

• Create and maintain process sheets, work instructions, maintenance instructions, manufacturing BOMs, and training documentation to effectively transfer ownership to Production and Maintenance after SOP, and develop business cases and ROI studies to justify projects to leadership 

Job Requirements

• Degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, or Mechatronic Engineering, Physics, Materials, or the equivalent in experience and evidence of exceptional ability 

• 3+ years of engineering experience developing and implementing manufacturing processes and equipment for production lines in high-volume, highly automated environments 

• Experience deploying, qualifying, and validating new equipment and processes in a highly automated production environment, ideally including involvement in the launch of a large automated line 

• Experience designing automated manufacturing equipment, with proficiency in CAD (AutoCAD 2D, SolidWorks; CATIA a plus), GD&T, design of experiments, and mechanical assembly principles such as press fits and fastener selection 

• Working knowledge of automated equipment systems — robotics, vision, material handling, conveyors, PLC, and HMI — and exposure to module line processes such as laser welding, adhesive dispensing and potting, vision inspection, profilometry, or electrical testing 

• Experience with battery systems, modules, packs, energy products, or electromechanical assemblies strongly preferred; adjacent industries such as EV powertrain, automotive, or electronics manufacturing equally welcome 

• Familiarity with industrial engineering concepts including line balancing, OEE, and capacity analysis, with strong structured problem-solving skills 

• Well organized with meticulous attention to detail, strong command of MS Office, fluent English (Dutch a plus), and willingness to travel internationally to support vendor FATs, factory launches, and global initiatives