Mechanical Reliability Engineer, Tesla Bot

Palo Alto, CA

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What to Expect

Tesla is actively working towards building humanoid robots at scale to automate tasks and assist with manufacturing and material handling. We are looking for an exceptional Mechanical Reliability Engineer to join our Design for Reliability team. In this role, you will play a key role in designing reliability into the mechanical components and sub-systems of our Tesla Bot. This role is highly engaging, and you will collaborate closely with cross-functional engineering teams to validate our ground-breaking hardware. You will follow the reliability lifecycle of the bot from concept through design, development, manufacturing, field operation, and you will design-in, confirm, and grow exceptional reliability at every stage. We are looking for a candidate who has a strong background in mechanical components and systems for robotic applications. This role will involve primary responsibilities to several systems of the Bot, such as actuators, libs, and structures, with additional exposure to controllers and electrical distribution. You will identify possible failure modes and develop effective design and reliability validation test plans. We expect you to be flexible and learn quickly, as the project and corresponding needs may pivot rapidly. You must have a genuine passion for engineering products that will fundamentally change the world, and you must be self-motivated with the desire to push boundaries. If you have a strong technical first-principles understanding, excellent problem-solving skills, and a genuine fascination with robotics, this is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the cutting-edge technology of the Tesla Bot and shape the future.

The level of this position will be determined at the time of the interview.


What You’ll Do

  • Work in cross-functional settings to assess product risks (e.g., DFMEAs) and possible failure modes to drive reliable design choices
  • Apply solid knowledge of reliability methods and expertise in mechanical systems to design effective test plans for design validation and demonstration of reliability growth
  • Define system and component-level mission profiles aligned with various Bot use cases
  • Facilitate failure analysis to identify root cause and drive resolution for failures originating in testing and in the field
  • Deliver data-based reliability design guidelines and clearly communicate reliability requirements to enable rapid continuous improvement


What You’ll Bring

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience
  • 2+ years of experience working on reliability, test development and data analysis of complex mechanical or electro-mechanical, preferably robotic systems (including relevant internship or academic lab work)
  • Strong problem-solving skills and thorough understanding of sophisticated electro-mechanical test setups
  • Solid knowledge of material properties and failure mechanisms for rotatory machines, with demonstrated experience in developing associated design and reliability validation test methods
  • Working knowledge of failure analysis techniques such as optical microscopy, SEM/EDS, CSAM, X-ray, CT, or related methods
  • Working knowledge of applied statistics, and experience with statistical software such as JMP, Minitab, R, etc.
  • Proven ability to manage parallel tasks effectively, with limited input information, and a desire to work in a fast-paced environment

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:

  • Aetna PPO and HSA plans > 2 medical 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 Account) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Aetna medical plan with HSA
  • Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
  • LGBTQ+ care concierge services
  • 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
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary 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

$84,000 - $276,000/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 is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

Mechanical Engineer
North America

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