(Senior) Vehicle Structures Test Engineer (m/f/d)

What To Expect

Tesla’s Vehicle Structures Test team is looking for a skilled and motivated test engineer. The team’s mission is to validate durability and reliability of vehicle structures like chassis, body structures, FUB, RUB, component housings against requirements and standards. The team thus contributes to design and product validations.

You will join the team at its inception. You’ll have autonomy to define test benches, lead test initiatives, improve methodologies, and mentor junior engineers, while influencing design of next-generation vehicles through data-driven insights.

We’re looking for a highly motivated engineer with strong technical fundamentals, hands‑on experience in vehicle or component‑level testing, and a passion for problem‑solving in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment.

What You’ll Do

• Perform, own and drive validation for structural components and vehicle structures according to SOPs and internal standards.
• Define test plans, articles, methods and equipment; propose design of experiments to better understand observations.
• Process raw data into meaningful conclusions; perform thorough documentation. Share high‑quality reports with internal technical teams, external suppliers, and occasionally to executives.
• Conceptualize, design, assemble and commission test benches using servo‑hydraulic and –electric systems and associated software environments. Perform risk assessments, review norms & standards to ensure that equipment designs comply with Health, Safety, CE and Environmental standards.
• Maintain high test throughput/efficiency and data quality. Drive globally aligned improvement as needed. Collaborate with internal or external stakeholders to make improvements.
• Lead junior colleagues during assembly, build, testing, teardown and comparable tasks. Train staff to operate and troubleshoot test equipment; ensure training content was learned.
• For Senior roles: Create work plans/daily schedules and define priorities of junior staff. Ensure timely and effective delivery of test results.
• Collaborate with external stakeholders and oversee external testing as needed.
• Own organizational tasks & responsibilities like creation & maintenance of procedures, SOPs, standards, equipment, inspections, lab commissioning, facilities, maintenance and staff trainings.
• Expect to acquire knowledge about relevant standards, guidelines and norms as required for the task.
• Ability to work with hazardous materials, high-voltage and other hazardous energy using mandated PPE and procedures after received training.
• Other tasks as required.

What You’ll Bring

• A background in durability and strength testing of vehicle chassis and/or structural components (suspension, steering, body in white etc.).
• Engineering Degree in Mechanical, Aviation or Mechatronics Engineering or equivalent degree with a hands‑on mindset and hands‑on experience.
• Proven track record as a hands‑on test engineer (test planning, development, execution, inspections, root cause analysis, data processing, report writing) in a structures test lab.
• Experience with relevant controllers, DAQs, sensors, communication standards like CAN, including hands‑on experience with troubleshooting of equipment.
• 3D CAD skills (CATIA preferred) and ability to design and build test benches.
• Familiarity with applying electrical engineering principles to troubleshoot and validate both vehicle systems and test infrastructure setups.
• For Senior Roles: >4 Years of relevant work experience.
• Analytical, structured and goal‑oriented working style with high‑attention to detail.

Additional Preferred Skills

• Coding experience with Python, Pytest, Git, and/or C is a plus.
• Experience with structural simulations (ANSYS) is a plus.
• Experience with Finite Element Analysis, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a plus.
• Experience with drawing PIDs and single wire diagrams is a plus.
• Driving license Class B valid in Germany.

Tesla