Supplier Quality Engineer, Optimus Tesla Motors, Inc. 84000 - 180000 USD paid holidays, flex time, 401(k) United States, California, Fremont Sep 26, 2026

What to Expect Tesla's Supplier Quality team are responsible for critical component development, quality management, continuous improvement, and qualification activities at suppliers and for ensuring production line is protected from disruption due to incoming supplier quality issues. The job requires effective communication at all levels both with internal and external teams, conducting failure analysis, leading statistical process control activities for critical components, limited travel to in-region suppliers, and on-the-spot critical decision making.

The goal:

developing suppliers by teaching best practices for manufacturing, quality, and engineering, delivering on time quantities of high-quality component parts into Tesla's production processes to enable extremely rapid development cycles and product launches, driving lean manufacturing principals to reduce waste and improve quality. What You'll Do

The team consists of Supplier Quality Engineers (SQE) and Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) technicians who ensure production line is protected from disruption due to supplier quality issues, while driving actions with suppliers. This cross-functional role requires team members to work closely with Factory teams towards issue identification and containment, and with Supply Chain teams towards issue resolution and corrective actions

Conducts investigations to identify and/or confirm potential and escalated supplier quality issues; develops and implements immediate countermeasures to quickly resolve supplier quality spills and prevent production downtime; creates sustainable countermeasure requirements (including scope of work, standardized work instructions, PPE, tools, equipment, and cycle time) to maintain production uptime and trains Quality Inspection team and their 3rd parties to execute them

Issues and drives supplier corrective action requests (SCAR) to initiate and track to closure supplier's containment actions, root cause analysis, and corrective and preventative action identification and implementation; conducts part quality audits and trials at the component, subsystem and/or system level to confirm/verify supplier's implemented containment actions and corrective & preventative actions are effective; reviews supplier's root cause analysis and corrective and preventative actions for problem resolution adequacy and efficacy and provides feedback to them and their assigned Supplier Industrialization Engineer for correction, as required

Supports part and packaging trials driven by new product launches, Tesla design changes, and/or Supplier (process) changes at the component, subsystem and/or system levels within the Factory to verify, validate and provide feedback on quality impacts

Facilitates and leads meetings with stakeholders to address supply chain and/or supplier quality (emerging) issues and/or changes

Seeks opportunities to improve processes and part quality whilst reduce part costs; collects and shares lessons learned for issue prevention and continuous improvement

Support containment, SCAR, continuous improvement and/or personal professional development activities at supplier locations, other Gigafactories and/or Tesla warehouses/operating sites, as required What You'll Bring

Degree in Mechanical, Automotive, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering or equivalent experience

3+ years of industry experience in quality, production, or manufacturing engineering departments

Demonstrated experience collaborating with suppliers of closure mechanisms, including latches, hinges, strikers, sealing systems, and power liftgate/actuation systems

Must have in-depth, working knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T); deep understanding of PFMEAs, control plans and problem-solving methodologies such as 8D, 5Why, and Ishikawa; familiar with SPC, hypothesis testing and data analysis; experience applying QMS, APQP, PPAP, and Red-X methodologies preferred

Experience with leading manufacturing process and control plan audits (audit development experience a plus)

Possess demonstrable leadership, project management, and cross functional collaboration and teambuilding skills; proven results directing internal, supplier and 3rd party activities and meeting customer requirements and expectations

Ability to deal with competing priorities, ambiguity and thrive in a fast paced, dynamic environment with minimal to no direction; strong technical comprehension and oral & written communication skills; understands technical issues and able to explain them in a concise and plain manner to technical and non-technical audiences

Able to travel (up to 10%) throughout North America, possibly on short notice

Benefits 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

Expected Compensation

$84,000 - $180,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.