Sr. Test Engineer, Abuse Test & Engineering

The local leader for abuse test and engineering will be responsible for building and leading the abuse test group in Austin. This person will work closely with local leadership, acting as the responsible party for site specific issues and problem solving from an abuse testing perspective. Our labs are expanding rapidly to support the fast-paced growth of Tesla battery programs. The tests involve thermal, electrical, and mechanical abuse of individual battery cells as well as module-level articles. Your goals are both to provide quality data to inform the understanding of battery cell and module design, and to increase the testing throughput and consistency. In addition to improving existing processes, you would develop new test rigs and equipment to study battery safety.

• Characterize variation in results from existing test rigs, examples being short circuit, crush, and provoked thermal runaway.
• Consider and implement automated approaches to testing such as robotic sample loading, multiplexing, or automated forms of post-test inspection.
• Build and direct an engineering team focused on delivering the test results Tesla needs
• Be a trusted source for effective and accurate root cause analysis of product failure modes
• Create engineering drawings and work with internal and external prototype shops to get parts fabricated for new and existing test systems.
• Participate in sourcing and managing of engineering relationships with suppliers of lab equipment.
• In addition to established tests, modify copies of test rigs for experimental development.
• Write and maintain standard operating procedures for test equipment. Train technicians on new equipment and incorporate user feedback (design for usability, safety, ergonomics)
• Work closely in lab with technicians to fabricate, install, and validate new test equipment as well as repair and debug issues with existing equipment.