New

Engineering Technician, Active Materials

Tesla Motors, Inc.
24.40 - 50.40 USD
paid holidays, flex time, 401(k)
United States, California, Palo Alto
Mar 15, 2026
What to Expect The Active Materials Research Team at Tesla is seeking an experienced Materials Engineer to drive the development, testing, and validation of next-generation battery materials, both in-house and from vendors. This role focuses on sourcing and qualifying materials that achieve superior energy density, durability, and cost-effectiveness compared to current commercial solutions. Collaboration with material and cell vendors, as well as cell design engineers, will be essential to integrate advanced active materials into large-format cells for Tesla's innovative energy solutions. What You'll Do Stay at the forefront of battery materials research, including Li-ion and Na-ion cathodes and anodes, and lead qualification studies for integration into next-generation cells Source and qualify high-performance, cost-effective cathode materials with enhanced energy density, cycle life, and safety while maintaining detailed R&D documentation Design and execute experiments and validation tests to evaluate material performance and ensure cell-level reliability, safety, and manufacturability Collaborate with validation engineers, manufacturing teams, supply chain specialists, electrochemists, vendor development teams, and modeling experts to scale materials for production Present key findings and recommendations regularly to leadership to inform strategic decisions What You'll Bring Degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience Hands-on experience with anode and cathode materials synthesis and qualification Familiarity with battery electrode stack design, including optimization of mass loading, electrode thickness, and N/P ratio for performance evaluation Proficiency in materials characterization and electrochemical testing techniques such as XRD, SEM, ICP, BET, EIS, and GITT Demonstrated ability to perform root-cause analysis and address interfacial cross-talk between cathode, electrolyte, and anode for improved cycle life Practical experience in cell fabrication, including slurry coating, coin-cell and pouch-cell assembly, electrolyte formulation, and filling Strong programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or similar tools for processing and analyzing battery test data Compensation and Benefits 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 $24.40 - $50.40/hour + 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.