Robotics Thermal Prototyping Engineer, Thermal Engineering, Optimus

What To Expect
We are looking for a hands-on, research-oriented engineer to explore and develop next-generation thermal management solutions for a general-purpose humanoid robot. This is not a validation or execution role — you will be the team's technology scout and prototype builder, responsible for identifying, evaluating, and proving out emerging cooling technologies before they are ready for design integration. You will work across subsystems — actuators, compute, battery, fans, and full-system thermal architecture — and your findings will directly shape the thermal strategy of future platform generations.

What You'll Do

Identify and evaluate emerging thermal technologies relevant to robotics, including two-phase cooling, vapor chambers, advanced TIMs, and novel airflow architectures

Design and build functional prototypes and custom test rigs to explore and validate new cooling concepts across all robot subsystems

Work with design engineers to understand unsolved thermal problems and translate them into structured technology exploration programs

Maintain a technology readiness roadmap and communicate the potential of promising cooling approaches to design and leadership teams

Collaborate with external research partners, vendors, and startups to source and evaluate cutting-edge thermal solutions

Produce clear technical reports and presentations that translate experimental findings into actionable design guidance for the engineering teams

What You'll Bring

Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent experience

Deep fundamentals in heat transfer — conduction, convection, radiation, and phase change — applied to real systems

Demonstrated experience designing and running thermal experiments in a lab environment, including custom test rig development and instrumented hardware characterization

Broad familiarity with cooling technologies and the ability to quickly assess their applicability to constrained dynamically loaded systems

Comfortable operating in ambiguous, early-stage problem spaces with limited prior art and minimal direction

Clear cross-functional communicator — able to bring experimental findings back to design teams in a way that drives decisions, not just informs them

Advanced degree preferred

Benefits
Compensation and 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 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

Expected Compensation

$108,000 - $264,000/annual salary cash and stock awards benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

, Tesla