Mechanical Design Engineer, Safety and Restraints (m/w/d)

Mechanical Design Engineer, Safety and Restraints (m/w/d)

Join Vehicle Engineering in Berlin to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy where you will help design and launch the next generation of cutting‑edge automotive products for Tesla. Our world‑class engineering teams operate with a non‑conventional automotive product development philosophy of high interdisciplinary collaboration, flat organizational structure, and technical contribution at all levels. The Safety & Restraints Engineering role: The Safety Restraints Design and Release Engineer owns all aspects of airbag and/or restraint systems from inception, developing conceptual designs and production release, to in‑service vehicle life and any field quality concerns. This includes supplier DFM and technical management, vehicle packaging, CAD and drawing releases, component and system validation per homologation requirements, plus factory production support. Commodities of particular importance for this role include airbags, seat belts and crash/pedestrian sensing with the integration of these commodities into a finished vehicle that meets all internal safety targets. To excel in this role, you must thoroughly understand the needs of the business to help develop timelines, workflows and plans that solve for Tesla’s aggressive targets. Additionally, you must have sufficient technical expertise to assist local cross‑functional teams in developing design guidelines, providing results interpretation, and giving technical direction in matters related to passive safety systems performance and their interaction with other systems.

What You’ll Do

• Support system integration work from design concept to vehicle validation in collaboration with global Safety & Restraints Teams as the main contact for Europe cross‑functional teams for any matters related to airbag, seatbelt, sensing and/or PedPro systems
• Support and execute the implementation of engineering changes for Safety & Restraints commodities. Coordinate line trials, drive the approval of changes with cross‑functional stakeholders, understand and communicate efficiently change implications, from attribute safety performance, to quality, cost, and timing.
• Collaborate with suppliers through RFQ, DVP, DFMEA/FMA and all launch stages to support overall vehicle launch milestones and prototype/production build events.
• Identify, implement and drive program requirements, workflows and plans while managing timelines, risks, uncovering roadblocks, defining critical paths, and any other issues that arise for the launch and validation of new Safety & Restraint systems and components.
• Oversee system validation, including test planning and execution, inspect pre/post-test samples, report testing outcomes and create TIRs, communicate impacts to global teams, and analyze root causes for correction action needs.
• Compile part lists for crash vehicle retrofitting and ensure timely delivery of parts for system/vehicle testing at Tesla and external test laboratories. Support vehicle allocation and create purchase orders for testing series.

What You’ll Bring

• 2+ years of relevant experience in automotive or manufacturing required.
• Good understanding and experience in Vehicle Safety Restraint Systems and/or vehicle crashworthiness is preferred.
• Engineering fundamentals and mechanical aptitude in problem‑solving with technical ability to optimize for cost, weight, and commercial targets.
• Effective verbal and written skills to articulate technical issues with peers and suppliers, ensure timely delivery of all components.
• Excellent organizational skills, self‑starting and self‑motivated, with meticulous attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to multi‑task, be flexible regarding evolving priorities, and deliver results under restrictive schedules and limited resources.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills with ability to use data and metrics for quantifying risks and making recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to execute complex projects with interconnected tasks in parallel, across teams, in a short timeframe, with ability to pivot rapidly.
• Proficient computer skills with MS Office Suite.
• CAD knowledge (Catia preferred).
• Knowledge of CAE analysis with restraint system integration and optimization.

Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

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Tesla Germany GmbH