Quality Engineer, Optimus

Tesla is building Optimus, a general-purpose humanoid robot designed to perform unsafe, repetitive, or boring tasks. Bringing this product to scale demands a quality function that operates as fast as engineering and production - and that holds the line on safety, reliability, and build integrity at every stage. As a Quality Engineer on the Optimus program, you will own quality across the full lifecycle of robot subsystems and assemblies: from supplier and component qualification, through line build and integration test, into reliability validation and field return analysis. You will work shoulder-to-shoulder with design, manufacturing, controls, and supplier engineering to drive defects toward zero and turn field data into upstream design and process improvements.

• Own quality for assigned Optimus subsystems (e.g., actuators, joints, sensors, harnesses, structural assemblies) end-to-end: supplier to incoming to line build to integration test to field

• Develop and execute integration and functional test plans for sub-assemblies and full-robot validation; partner with controls and software teams on HIL and regression strategies

• Lead root-cause investigations (8D, fishbone, fault-tree) for line-side defects, integration test failures, and field returns; drive corrective and preventive actions to closure

• Define and monitor in-line quality controls - FAI, FQT, SPC, Cpk targets, poka-yoke - and partner with manufacturing engineering to design defects out of the process

• Qualify new suppliers and components: PPAP, sample inspection, capability studies, and on-site supplier development as needed

• Build the reliability data pipeline for Optimus: failure mode tracking, MTBF/durability targets, DFR feedback into design reviews, and warranty/field-quality reporting

• Drive disposition decisions on non-conforming material (MRB) and lead containment when escapes occur

• Translate field and production data into prioritized engineering action - what is actually breaking, why, and what changes upstream

• 3+ years of quality engineering experience in robotics, automotive, aerospace, medical devices, or other complex electromechanical hardware

• Strong hands-on experience using AI/LLM tools (e.g., Claude, Copilot, Cursor) to accelerate root-cause analysis - querying large production and test datasets, summarizing failure modes, and building data pipelines to turn raw SCADA/MES/test data into actionable engineering insight

• Hands-on experience with at least three of: manufacturing/line QE, supplier quality and PPAP, system integration test, reliability/DfR, field/warranty analysis

• Demonstrated ownership of structured problem solving (8D, DMAIC, FTA) with measurable defect-reduction results

• Working knowledge of GD&T, measurement systems (MSA, gage R&R), and SPC

• Comfort working directly on the production floor - debugging robots, pulling data, and standing up containment in hours, not days

• Proficient in data analysis using SQL, Python, or equivalent; able to turn raw production/test data into actionable insight

• Strong written and verbal communication; able to brief findings to engineering leadership and influence cross-functional decisions

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