(Senior/Lead) Mechanical Design Engineer, Automated Test Equipment, Manufacturing Test Engineering (m/w/d)

We’re looking for a senior mechanical engineer to design, build, and deploy manufacturing test stations for Tesla products. You’ll lead a team of two and own equipment from concept through production release — including hands-on build, debug, and validation (shared with other functions).
This role sits in Manufacturing Test Engineering at Berlin Tesla Engineering Center, the team that builds robust, data-centric production test equipment used on Tesla lines worldwide. You’ll work across mechanical, electrical, software, and controls to deliver reliable capital equipment — part of the “machine that builds the machine.”

Design & technical leadership

- Own architecture and detailed design of automation and test equipment in CAD; set technical standards for the team
- Drive technical strategy for test equipment platforms across product lines
- Lead conceptual design of new test equipment, balancing product specs, process needs, layout, cost, and lead time
- Apply solid mechanics, thermal/fluid analysis, GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and material selection; grow the team’s capability in structural and thermal FEA
- Design for manufacture and assembly (DFM/DFA) for complex, high-volume testers
- Create pneumatic and hydraulic schematics (e.g. AutoCAD Electrical)
Hands-on delivery

- Lead build, debug, validation, and release of equipment into production
- Run on-site and off-site acceptance testing (FAT/SAT) and make go/no-go decisions
- Support continuous improvement and sustaining engineering on deployed equipment
- Scale and adapt designs for global Tesla factories
Team & cross-functional leadership

- Mentor and develop two mechanical engineers; provide design reviews and technical guidance
- Lead design reviews with design, manufacturing, sustaining, and firmware stakeholders
- Manage vendor relationships and critical deliverables
- Represent the team in technical discussions with senior leadership

- Proven experience in equipment/machine design, manufacturing, or production test
- Proven delivery of complex automation or test equipment from concept to production
- Expert proficiency in SolidWorks
- Solid grasp of electromechanical/mechatronic systems, measurement methods, and industrial diagnostics (hardware and software)
- Advanced pneumatics and hydraulics design experience
- Hands-on knowledge of fabrication methods: machining, welding, sheet metal, laser cutting, etching, injection molding, 3D printing, hydroforming
- Experience with DFM/DFA in high-volume manufacturing
- Experience mentoring junior engineers
- Clear communication and ability to influence senior stakeholders
- Comfort leading cross-functional work in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical or Mechatronics Engineering (or equivalent experience)
- A portfolio that shows technical leadership and measurable impact
Preferred

- Equipment deployment across multiple global manufacturing sites
- High-volume automotive or consumer electronics manufacturing background
- Familiarity with Industry 4.0, data-driven manufacturing, and IoT-enabled test equipment
- Patents or publications in automation or test equipment