Mechanical Engineer, CFD, Cell Manufacturing

Tesla’s Cell Engineering Factory Programs team is seeking an experienced Staff / Sr Staff Mechanical Engineer to serve as the CFD, HVAC, and fluid dynamics subject matter expert for our 4680 cell manufacturing factories. This is a technical leadership role at the center of Tesla’s global capacity expansion. You will own the models that shape both gigafactory-scale infrastructure and micron-scale, high-speed manufacturing equipment — and you will see that work built, commissioned, and run in production.

You will bring a strong foundation in fluid dynamics, solid mechanics, and thermodynamics, with enough industrial HVAC and factory systems experience to treat manufacturing tools and central plant as one integrated design. As Tesla’s CFD authority for cell manufacturing, you will advise process and equipment engineers on how to optimize tool and facility designs to meet product, yield, and environmental requirements. The role is demanding, fast-paced, and high-impact.

- Lead computational fluid dynamics modeling and analysis for cell manufacturing processes, tool design, and factory space conditioning (HVAC)

- Partner with manufacturing, process, and factory engineering to take designs from concept through optimization, pilot, factory acceptance testing, installation, and commissioning

- Develop mechanical system concepts, utility locations, load requirements, and system specifications during feasibility and conceptual design

- Review and approve factory mechanical design packages, including airflow diagrams, schematics, and P&IDs

- Advise manufacturing engineers on tool and process design changes informed by CFD, thermal, and multi-physics results

- Work with local factory engineering teams and regulatory authorities to apply regional codes and standards to manufacturing equipment and facility interfaces

- Correlate models with plant and tool data; use commissioning and operating results to improve model fidelity and design standards

- Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or equivalent experience, with 5+ years of thermal and fluid modeling

- Strong command of numerical methods, CFD/FEA, design of experiments, and optimization for multi-physics, multi-scale systems

- Hands-on proficiency with CFD tools such as STAR-CCM+, Ansys Fluent, COMSOL, or equivalent

- Ability to translate engineering analysis into practical builds, test plans, technical requirements, and implementation recommendations

- Field experience installing, troubleshooting, and commissioning instrumentation or related analytical equipment

- Preferred: large-facility infrastructure design in cell manufacturing, semiconductors, or chemical processing, including industrial HVAC

- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain modeling results to non-specialists and influence design decisions

- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to work independently through ambiguity

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)