Sr. Materials Engineer, Solar

Tesla is currently seeking a Materials Engineer to support our Solar Hardware product line. You will be responsible for identifying, developing, evaluating, processing and qualifying materials needed for current and next generations Solar Hardware products. Other responsibilities include driving engineering tradeoffs, including aesthetics, lifetime, cost, manufacturing process, installation ease, and product features. Materials include structural plastics & composites, adhesives/sealants, and PV specific materials.

• Evaluate and qualify material candidates, including engineering plastics, composites, adhesives, pottants, and coatings, working closely with the industrial design, mechanical design, electrical design, optical design, manufacturing and supply chain teams

• Engage with and manage external partners and vendors for materials development and drive implementation into production

• Perform materials characterization/performance evaluation by conducting analytical studies in collaboration with process/reliability teams

• Conduct Failure Analysis to understand and correct materials and design shortcomings. Support the design team in analyzing trade-offs via FMEA

• Understand application-relevant mechanical properties of polymeric components. Develop corresponding structure-property relationships

• Understand degradation pathways vis stress/reliability testing and on materials and components. Conduct accelerated (chamber) testing to understand degradation modes

• Determine and optimize process parameters for manufacturing processes of plastics/composites and adhesives.

• Develop and evaluate improved and optimized composition of custom formulations

• Write materials specifications, test procedures, SOPs

• Develop novel production methods through polymer processing, compounding, molding, extrusion, casting

• M.S./Ph.D. in Materials Science/Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Polymer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering is preferred, Bachelor's degree, experience , or equivalent is required

• 10+ years of industrial experience is preferred. Solar experience is a bonus

• Evidence of exceptional ability

• Proficient with statistical software, sql data mining, scripting languages, mechanical design software and FEA

• Exceptional organization, cross discipline collaboration and communication skills

• Excellent problem-solving skills

• Detailed-oriented, able to work both independently and in a collaborative project-focused environment, prompt and dependable, and excellent communication skills

• Resilient in the context of a fast-paced and fluid environment (scrappy)

• Comfortable in doing more with less

• Mission driven