Process/Materials Engineer (Cell Manufacturing)

This role will invent, develop, scale up, and optimize battery manufacturing processes within a cross-functional engineering team responsible for the development lifecycle and launch into manufacturing.

The battery cell is a critical component in Tesla vehicles and storage systems. This role will have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to our products. The work environment is demanding, fast-paced, and incredibly exciting.

• Conduct analysis / interpretation and presentation of experimental data.
• Establish material structure-process-performance relationship with innovative methods based on first principles to improve material process robustness and application performance.
• Develop and manage PFMEA risk assessments to prioritize process improvement projects and ensure adequate metrology and controls are in place.
• Establish process controls for SPC and develop process related OCAPs.
• Design experiments and execute DoEs to improve material recipes and process conditions.
• Debug process integration issues to ensure interactions between processes are kept under control.
• Build process documentation to accurately define the process to cross-functional teams (equipment, quality, production, etc.)
• Model holistic process costs using bottoms-up system approach.
• Drive development of materials and manufacturing processes from proof of concept through full scale production that enable improved battery performance, cost, and meet throughput requirements.

• Industrial chemical processing
• Battery manufacturing (Li-ion or other chemistry)
• Dry powder handling and processing
• Mixing fundamentals and scale up expertise
• Proven problem solver - demonstrated experience of data driven root cause analysis, statistical software (JMP) a plus.
• 3+ years interdisciplinary/integrated engineering, material & process development, manufacturing engineering, or equivalent. Senior roles available for more experienced candidates.
• Demonstrated capabilities in manufacturing process development for new/unique products.
• Power electronics
• Experience in high volume manufacturing involving one or more of these areas is highly desired:
• Strong understanding of materials and engineering fundamentals and ability to apply them towards manufacturing process development, expertise in granular material is a plus.
• Pneumatic conveyance of powders and composites
• M.S./Ph.D in material science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or similar.
• Automated mechanical assembly