Materials Design and Reliability Engineer, Energy Products

Tesla is seeking a Materials Design and Reliability Engineer to support our Energy product line. You will own material design for reliability, including failure analysis, testing, proposing and implementing mitigation actions, to identify and qualify materials so our designs meet electrical, thermal, mechanical, and production requirements at the same time.

This role spans dielectric materials, adhesives, potting, encapsulation, coatings, and composite insulation systems. You will work across materials, processes, interfaces, and part geometries, using first principles to drive engineering trade-offs among reliability, manufacturability, and cost. You will integrate material degradation, long-term reliability, and manufacturing process as one engineering problem and solve it.

- Lead DFMEA and PFMEA activities by identifying material-related design and process risks and driving mitigation plans

- Define and execute accelerated test methods; lead technical investigations of materials and components under aging to identify failure modes and mechanisms, including partial discharge, dielectric breakdown, delamination, hydrolysis, environmental stress cracking (ESC), and other thermo-mechanical degradation

- Characterize and evaluate adhesion, surface delamination, dielectric strength, partial discharge behavior, dielectric loss, thermal and mechanical properties, environmental robustness, and long-term reliability

- Translate application-level functional requirements into critical material properties and structure–property relationships

- Drive mitigation actions and material and process selection decisions that improve product reliability and manufacturability

- Partner with Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain to develop and optimize reliable prototyping and manufacturing processes for dispensing, potting, molding, encapsulation, coating, and assembly

- Help establish and review internal standards and validation methods for materials and component reliability assessments

- Degree in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience
- 5+ years of experience performing and leading mechanical, thermal, and reliability assessment of polymeric materials for energy storage and conversion devices, such as transformers, bushings, sensors, capacitors, cables, or power modules

- Strong understanding of polymer structure–property relationships, dissimilar-material interfacial failures, insulation degradation mechanisms, and thermo-mechanical degradation; experience with thermo-mechanical analysis or modeling of insulation systems under thermal cycling and other reliability testing is a plus

- Hands-on experience with one or more polymer processing methods: mixing, compounding, potting, casting, molding, coating, encapsulation, and impregnation

- Hands-on experience in material characterization, reliability testing, and failure analysis for elastomers, coatings, adhesives, and composites, including viscosity, rheology, hardness, physical and mechanical properties (glass transition temperature, compressive strength, tensile strength, elongation, adhesion strength etc.), coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), thermal conductivity, and related analytical techniques

- Experience translating material behavior and failure mechanisms into practical design rules, validation plans, and process controls

- Experience working cross-functionally to solve technical problems across design, manufacturing, reliability, and supply chain

- Detail-oriented, able to work independently and in a collaborative, project-focused environment; dependable, with excellent communication skills

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)
Expected Compensation $91,600 - $195,600/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.