What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Electrical Development Engineer position at Tesla Motors, Inc.?
What to Expect
What You'll Do
What You'll Bring
Compensation and Benefits
Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
As a Senior Electrical Development Engineer, you will join a world-class team responsible for designing, building, and deploying automation solutions for Tesla's groundbreaking 4680 battery cell manufacturing. This hands-on role involves owning electrical controls designs from concept to implementation, working closely with cross-functional teams and vendors across global sites like California, Texas, and Berlin. You'll focus on high-speed manufacturing processes with discrete and continuous operations, ensuring high quality and automation standards. Expect to be on the factory floor troubleshooting, optimizing systems, and contributing to Tesla's standards to accelerate low-cost battery production and the transition to clean energy. Projects are interdisciplinary, requiring collaboration on innovative technologies for equipment like calendaring, high-speed web handling, and conveyance.
What You'll Do
- Participate in equipment concept development and balance product specifications, electrical requirements, component selection, controls architecture, and costs
- Define system interconnects, electrical schematics, and key automation components with other engineering groups to meet requirements
- Work closely with project managers and teams to translate expectations into final designs and ensure adherence to Tesla and regulatory standards
- Design power distribution, control panels, and functional safety circuitry to meet standards like NFPA 79, IEC 60204-1, UL 508A, and ISO 13849-1
- Select and size electrical and electromechanical components such as circuit protectors, sensors, PLC hardware, VFDs, servo systems, and safety hardware
- Troubleshoot power distribution panels, I/O panels, field instrumentation, safety interlock circuits, and electrical system issues in the field
- Manage vendors and suppliers during specification, design review, approval, commissioning, and installation of automated equipment
- Develop and maintain documentation, including schematics, utility matrices, and procedures for electrical equipment
- Implement continuous process optimization to improve quality, productivity, and reduce waste
- Provide training to production and maintenance teams and contribute to Tesla electrical standards and best practices
What You'll Bring
- Proficiency in electrical CAD systems like Eplan Electric P8 v2.9 or higher for designing control panels, power distribution, wiring, and instrumentation
- Experience selecting circuit protectors, wire and cable, sensors, safety hardware, PLC hardware, remote I/O, VFDs, servo systems, and key electrical components
- In-depth knowledge of electrical standards such as NEC, NFPA 79, IEC 60204-1, and UL 508A
- In-depth knowledge of safety standards such as ISO 13849-1 and ANSI/RIA15.06
- Familiarity with control systems like Beckhoff, Siemens and DeltaV, including EtherCAT, FSoE, PROFINET, and PROFIsafe
- Hands-on experience troubleshooting industrial control circuits, instrumentation, and safety interlock systems with common diagnostics tools such as DMMs, network testers and power monitors
- Ability to read process and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) to create electrical designs and schematics, including familiarity with hazardous (classified) locations and equipment requirements
- Proficiency in field network topology and practical applications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience at least 3 years of relevant professional experience in electrical or automation engineering
Compensation and Benefits
Benefits
Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:
- Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
- Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
- Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
- Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible Aetna medical plan with HSA
- Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
- Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
- Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays
- Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
- Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
- Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
- Tesla Babies program
- Commuter benefits
- Employee discounts and perks program
Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.