Associate Manager, Production Engineering NCM, Battery Pack

Tesla is looking for a technical people leader to own two connected organizations at Battery Pack: The Non-Conforming Material (NCM) area and the production line Process Technician team. Together these teams are the first line of defense for product quality - the process technicians respond to defects and process excursions at the line, and the NCM team contains, dispositions, and reworks the material that comes off it. Owning both gives you a closed loop: the same leader who sees what fails at the line also owns what happens to it downstream and is accountable for eliminating the defect at the source rather than sustaining rework capacity. You will be measured on line-side quality and uptime metrics and NCM throughput and scrap reduction. This is a hands-on leadership role. You will lead by example technically, build and develop both teams across shifts, and partner daily with Production, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, and Supplier Quality.

• Lead, mentor, and develop process technicians and NCM technicians/supervisors; drive recruiting, onboarding, coaching, certification, and performance management to close competency gaps across both functions
• Plan labor across both teams against production ramp and demand - set shift coverage, balance headcount between line-side response and NCM execution, optimize labor utilization, and reduce variability
• Lead process technicians on process issue analysis and problem-solving at the line; ensure they act as primary responders for FPY and defect trends and escalate to Engineering, Quality, and Production appropriately and Serve as technical backup across both teams to ensure zero coverage gaps and to address issues of escalating complexity
• Monitor, manage, and countermeasure MMS and WIP accumulations to protect line throughput and Own the Material Review Board (MRB) process: ensure non-conforming material is confirmed, dispositioned (use-as-is, rework, repair, scrap, RTV), and documented accurately and on time
• Own NCM KPIs - WIP and aging, disposition turnaround time, rework first-pass yield, scrap and rework cost - and drive documented improvement actions with clear schedules and expected results
• Use line-side defect data to drive permanent root-cause elimination of top NCM drivers via structured problem-solving (3D/8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, DOE) - converting recurring NCM into upstream process fixes rather than sustained rework capacity
• Develop and maintain standardized work, rework/repair manufacturing instructions, and training programs for both teams
• Own EHS assurance for both teams - current safety training, incident documentation, proactive hazard correction, and ergonomic compliance in line, sort, and rework operations
• Availability for off-hours and weekend support as production requires
• Degree in Engineering (mechanical, industrial, electrical, manufacturing, or related technical discipline), Mathematics, Physical Science, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in high-volume manufacturing, equipment/process engineering, production engineering, or related technical roles (7-10+ years preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to lead or heavily influence technical teams in automated manufacturing environments; prior people leadership of engineers (process, equipment, or production engineering) preferred
• Exemplary track record of high impact contributions both as an individual engineer and in a management capacity
• Hands on experience with lean manufacturing principles and Demonstrated ability to meet commitments and deliver results in a fast-paced technical manufacturing environment
• Ability to manage and execute multiple large-scale projects simultaneously, dynamically adjusting priorities to meet changing business needs
• Outstanding communication skills - both written and verbal
• Willingness to spend significant time on the production floor, with flexibility to adjust working hours, including nights and weekends, to support continuous manufacturing operations
• Experience with application and teaching of structured problem-solving methodology, such as DOE, root cause analysis, and with mechanical, automation, and controls engineering is highly preferred
• Strong analytical capability - data collection, statistical software, and performance metrics across quality, throughput, cost, and safety

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