Staff Controls Engineer, Automation Development

Tesla is seeking a Staff Controls Engineer to join a world-class team of engineers in our Automation Development organization. The Automation Development organization helps bring Tesla's vision to reality by designing and building the automated equipment that manufactures Tesla's world-class products.

As a Staff Controls Engineer, your primary responsibility is to be the lead controls engineer for new, automated manufacturing equipment projects. You'll be involved in projects from start to finish, where you'll oversee and provide guidance for junior engineers assigned to the project and provide direct technical contributions for the most critical areas of the project. You and your team will architect, develop and deploy software for industrial controllers, like PLCs, HMIs, robot controllers, machine vision systems and more. New automated manufacturing equipment is designed, built and performance tested by us at our Automation Development site, then shipped to its final destination at a Tesla factory, for final commissioning and start of production.

• Take the lead controls engineering role, leading a team of controls engineers to complete capex projects on accelerated timelines
• Help design high performing equipment by collaborating with mechanical & electrical engineers on topics such as machine layout, tooling design, process strategies and hardware selection of motors & drives, actuators, and sensors
• Challenge requirements & assumptions, identify & delete unnecessary parts & processes and find ways to reduce complexity
• Estimate project labor requirements and plan the team's schedule, reducing large and complex project scopes into simple, clear, and aggressive objectives, that your team will execute under your direction
• Accelerate your team toward success by providing consistent leadership throughout all phases of the project. You'll set aggressive goals for them, review their progress, support them technically and professionally and make necessary course corrections along the way
• Define software architecture by creating diagrams and flow charts for high level topology, device level control, and process sequencing
• Program PLCs and HMIs for state control, motor control, servo motion control, and pneumatic actuations
• Program industrial robots for material handling and process applications
• Work hands-on with the equipment during the debug phase to bring it to a high performing and robust state by performing validations and exception testing for hardware, software, and processes
• Travel to the factory for on-site commissioning of the equipment, performing final validations, and supporting it into production. Ability to travel ~25%, potentially on short notice

• 8+ years' experience programming, debugging, and commissioning industrial machines of moderate to high complexity
• Experience programming PLCs from brands like Siemens, Beckhoff or Allen Bradley. Siemens PLC programming experience is preferred
• Strong mechanical aptitude and proficiency with hand tools
• Strong electrical aptitude and experience with industrial electrical wiring for 3-Phase AC power and DC control circuits and proficiency with electrical diagnostic tools
• Proficiency with viewing mechanical and electrical CAD documents with software like SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and Eplan
• Experience working collaboratively with a large team. Project leadership experience is a plus
• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience

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