Sr. Manufacturing Controls Dev Engineer, Pretreatment

Tesla’s Materials Manufacturing Engineering team is at the forefront of developing first-of-a-kind processes which allow us to produce amazing products at best-in-class quality and rate, in a safe and ergonomic environment.
The Coatings team is seeking a Manufacturing Controls Development Engineer to lead the design, development, deployment, commissioning, troubleshooting, and optimization of pretreatment (surface preparation and electrocoat or electrodeposition) systems within our paint and powder coating manufacturing lines. You will lead the design and develop technically complex controls, electrical, and automation systems for the pretreatment processes within new manufacturing lines, while being responsible for implementing and managing continuous process optimization—incorporating both advanced and conventional technologies to improve quality, boost productivity, and reduce overall waste. The candidate will partner with cross-functional teams, equipment vendors, and integrators to deliver scalable, reliable, and high-performance pretreatment systems that meet Tesla’s aggressive quality, throughput, and safety standards.

- Architect, develop, debug, and maintain structured, documented, and reusable PLC code (commonly Siemens TIA Portal/S7 or Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, sometimes Beckhoff or others) that interacts with tanks, recirculation loops, pumps, filtration/ultrafiltration, rectifiers, conveyors, sensors, Ventilation and third-party equipment
- Design and program HMI and SCADA interfaces that provide clear operator feedback, alarms, trending, and troubleshooting support for complex wet-process equipment
- Implement and tune control strategies and loops for critical parameters such as temperature, flow, pressure, level, conductivity, pH, and chemical dosing; support rectifier voltage/current control and process sequencing (spray/dip stages, rinses, etc.)
- Commission, start up, characterize, and validate new or modified equipment; support process qualification, buy-off criteria, and knowledge transfer to sustaining teams
- Specify, lay out, or oversee industrial control panels and schematics that comply with standards such as NFPA 79, NEC, and UL 508A; manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, and related pneumatic/fluid interfaces during installation and commissioning
- Integrate process safety interlocks and control-reliable safety systems (grounding/isolation considerations for E-coat, ventilation or airflow switches, emergency stops, and interfaces aligned with relevant ANSI/RIA, ISO, or OSHA requirements)
- Collaborate with process engineers, vendors, maintenance, quality, and operations; participate in design reviews, supplier management, PFMEA support, and standards development for pretreatment and E-coat equipment
- Troubleshoot controls, network, instrumentation, and integration issues to minimize downtime; drive continuous improvement in quality, uptime, maintainability, and energy use
- Interface systems with MES, historians, vision, or higher-level monitoring platforms; maintain backups, version control, as-built documentation, I/O maps, and standard operating procedures
- Ensure that all equipment, processes and methodologies comply with applicable standards, company policy and all Health and Safety Laws, Acts, Regulations and Codes

- Degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronic Engineering, Automation Engineering, or equivalent experience

- Proficiency programming at least one major PLC platform (Siemens and/or Rockwell preferred) plus HMI development; exposure to multiple platforms, VFDs/motor controllers, and industrial networks is advantageous
- 3+ years of professional experience developing and commissioning industrial automation for high-volume manufacturing equipment (finishing, coating, paint-shop, or continuous/flow wet-process environments are strongly preferred)
- Experience with process instrumentation and controls for pumps, valves, tanks, filtration, temperature, flow, level, conductivity, and/or pH systems
- Understanding of databases (MSSQL, MySQL), Object-Oriented Programming languages (Java, Python, etc.), and CAD (AutoCAD, CATIA, SolidWorks, EPLAN)
- In depth knowledge of Electrical Standards (NFPA79, NEC, UL508A) and safety standards (ANSI/RIA, OSHA)
- Ability to create or interpret electrical schematics and knowledge of industrial control-panel standards with demonstrated conceptual proficiency in the development of electrical and controls architectures for new equipment and manufacturing lines
- Proficiency selecting appropriate circuit protectors, wire, cable, sensors, safety hardware, PLC hardware, remote I/O, VFD, robots and servo systems
- Strong troubleshooting, structured documentation, and cross-functional communication skills; willingness to support commissioning, production ramp, and occasionally off-shift or on-call needs in a manufacturing setting
- Experience working with automotive manufacturing processes & equipment preferred

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
- Earned Wage Access: Real-time pay access paid daily, subject to eligibility and schedule (applicable for below Sr. Managers levels)