Manufacturing Engineer - Process & Equipment Development

Job Description

&#10;&#10;&#10;&#10;&#10;&#10;&#10;&#10;&#10;&#10;&#10;<p>Tesla is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to take&#10;end-to-end ownership of manufacturing systems in Palo Alto, CA &#8212; from&#10;pioneering prototype processes in R&amp;D to designing, optimizing, and scaling&#10;them for high-volume, highly automated production. You will invent and rapidly&#10;iterate novel processes and prototype equipment, then lead their translation&#10;into robust automation integrating robotics, machine vision, precision&#10;mechatronics, and intelligent controls. You will drive process development,&#10;equipment specification and qualification, line design, vendor management,&#10;optimization, validation, technical transfer, and continuous improvement while&#10;collaborating closely with Product Design, Controls, Quality, and Operations&#10;teams. Success requires creative first-principles thinking, rapid prototyping&#10;capability, and rigorous data-driven execution.</p>&#10;&#10;

Job Responsibilities

• In-house development of workstations, manufacturing equipment, and fixtures to support early-stage alpha/beta prototype builds
• Identification and documentation of manufacturing bottlenecks during R&D to influence high-volume equipment design
• Design, specification, procurement, construction, integration, and deployment of automated assembly equipment, robotics, inline vision systems, precision gauging, and end-of-line testing for medium- and high-volume production
• Development of new bespoke manufacturing processes from R&D through high-volume automation
• Design of production workstations for ergonomics, efficiency, and throughput
• Performance of process analysis, DOE, PFMEA, Process Flow Diagrams, control plans, line balancing, and capacity modeling
• Early Design for Manufacturing (DFM) collaboration with Product Design teams to influence product architecture for high-volume manufacturability
• Training of technicians and line operators in new manufacturing processes and equipment
• Leadership of data driven continuous improvement initiatives to improve yield
• Ownership of project timelines and technical transfer from development through steady-state production

Job Requirements

• Experience developing mechanical equipment, fixturing, and tooling in a 3D CAD environment (SolidWorks, CATIA)
• Proven hands-on experience building early-stage functional prototypes and temporary bridge tooling
• Demonstrated success transitioning novel processes and equipment from low-volume R&D/prototype stages into high-volume, 24/7 automated manufacturing environments
• Experience introducing new equipment and new processes into a production environment
• Strong working knowledge of statistical data analysis, root-cause methodologies, DOE, and process optimization tools
• Knowledge of manufacturing fundamentals, mechanical design principles, and Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
• Excellent cross-functional communication skills with proven ability to manage technical requirements with international machine builders and vendors.