Materials Test Engineer at Tesla, Inc in Palo Alto, CA

The Role:

The candidate will work as a member of Tesla’s Materials Test Group to lead, support and advise on materials level test activities. The position will be based in Palo Alto (California, USA) within the Materials Test Lab.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, test and performance evaluation of polymeric/elastomeric materials in a wide variety of parts and components across all Tesla products. Assess risk within upcoming projects and ensure applicable materials tests are completed within demanding project timelines.
• Aid the development of new tests and evaluation methods for assessing the use of various polymers and joining methods.
• Independently complete materials tests and issue reports for approval. Create and manage “Concerns” documentation to facilitate and trace corrective actions to a resolution.
• Conduct failure analysis investigations in an extremely fast-paced, high pressure environment. Interface with a broad spectra of internal customers to drive concerns to a root cause.
• Coordinate with Service and Reliability to best understand field concerns and independently propose cost effective and value add solutions which are agreeable business-wide.
• Work with internal engineering teams and external suppliers to develop and validate the performance of materials at both the part and coupon level. Be capable of both working independently as well as part of broad cross functional teams to drive novel, best of class designs and solutions.
• Lead materials test technicians to support test setup, test execution and interpret test results.

Requirements:

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Polymer Science, Chemistry or Materials Science. B.S. candidates with exceptional work experience will also be considered.
• Minimum of 5-10 years’ of post-graduation work experience (automotive sector is preferable).
• Exhibit a diverse knowledge of polymeric and elastomeric automotive materials and their manufacture. Knowledge of polymer manufacturing processes including (but not limited to): injection molding, blow molding, compression molding, thermoforming, extrusion, joining methods and other applicable processes are highly desired. Understanding how defects observed in test specimens can be related back to these manufacturing methods and their parameters is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of polymer additives, fillers and reinforcements.
• Knowledge of textiles, flocking, paints and plating systems on plastics is also desired.
• Extensive experience in operating a diverse range of materials testing equipment including: SEM-EDS, FTIR, DSC, TGA, MFI, CTI (Comparative Tracking Index), rheometry, viscometry, optical microscopy, UV-weathering apparatus, hygrothermal chambers, hardness testers, cross-section sample preparation and mechanical property testing.
• Broad knowledge of polymeric test procedures and automotive test procedures.
• Broad understanding of failure modes in polymer materials.
• Experience of working with hazardous materials with a willingness to exhibit and promote health and safety across the team.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills in order to establish effective working relationships.
• A demonstrated ability to influence the direction of a design based on test results is a prerequisite.
• Must be able to effectively handle multiple priorities, organize workload, meet deadlines and manage time independently.
• Maintain top level professional integrity and appearance