Sr. Materials Engineer, Cell Electrolyte

What to Expect

Battery cells are the common denominator for every Tesla
product. Our product requirements demand ground-up cell architectures with
state-of-the-art performance, manufactured at volumes that are orders of
magnitude higher than the products they power. Our group works with engineering
groups across various disciplines, requiring strong communication skills and a
team-first mentality. You will work alongside seasoned industry experts, high
aptitude recent graduates, and people from every stage in between. We are
looking for someone with an exceptional ability to solve problems in both
individual and team settings. Our cell technology organization is heavily
focused on early-phase material development, followed by material design
optimization, validation, and qualification.

This role will focus on electrolyte formulation design,
selection, and integration. Your responsibility will be spearheading
cross-functional design and validation efforts for electrolyte materials for
our vendor cell programs. You will develop and refine electrochemical tests to
accelerate qualification time and leverage our internal electrolyte design expertise
to improve the performance of mission-critical vendor cell technologies. This
role is pivotal in advancing Tesla's cell engineering roadmap, combining
early-phase electrolyte innovation with global vendor collaboration to deliver
scalable, high-performance battery solutions. This role requires 40-50% travel
to support vendor collaborations, on-site testing, and strategic partnerships.
What You'll Do

• Act as the primary point of contact for electrolyte-design-related
  communications with external vendor cell partners
• Propose electrolyte design pathways to improve vendor cell
  performance, including comprehensive theoretical justification and empirical
  data to support all recommendations
• Evaluate vendor cell electrolyte design strategies, identify
  potential risks, and recommend appropriate risk mitigation workflows
• Analyze electrochemical and analytical characterization data
  to identify root causes of cell failures or testing discrepancies, linking
  results to electrolyte material properties, design changes, test conditions, or
  degradation pathways
• Manage and coordinate cross-functional validation efforts
  with external vendors, ensuring alignment on technical specifications,
  timelines, and quality standards
• Conduct on-site visits to vendor facilities, attend
  technical meetings, and oversee lab-to-production scale validation trials

What You'll Bring

• Degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, or
  equivalent experience
• Specialized knowledge of electrolyte materials and
  electrolyte design considerations
• 5+ years of experience in cell materials engineering, vendor
  collaboration, and/or cross-functional project management, with a proven track
  record in managing external partnerships
• Thorough understanding of the electrochemical and physical
  properties of electrolyte materials and their impact on cell-level performance
• Willingness and ability to travel 40-50% of the time for
  vendor engagements, testing, and collaboration
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, leadership
  capabilities, and a proactive approach to problem-solving

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

• Associate Materials Engineer - $82,440 - $123,660/annual salary
• Materials Engineer - $98,640 - $147,960/annual salary
• Sr Materials Engineer - $117,360 - $176,040/annual salary

+ cash and stock awards + benefits for all levels

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.

We will accept applications for this job until June 19, 2026, after which this posting will be removed.