Materials Engineer, Softgoods

What To Expect The purpose of Tesla's Materials Engineering organization is to facilitate the Tesla mission to build a world of sustainable abundance via the identification, development and insertion of advanced materials and processes. The team is seeking a Polymers Materials Engineer to use their fundamental and deep understanding of chemistry, physics, and polymer science to provide solutions to some of Tesla’s toughest problems. This position will be a subject matter expert on softgoods at Tesla and will manage multiple projects that require the application of first‑principles knowledge of materials to develop novel solutions needed to launch our products on time and with superior quality. Typical tasks involve material selection, authoring material standards, validating materials internally and with suppliers, managing Tesla Materials Documentation systems, root‑cause analysis, formulation of new polymers, researching new technologies to assess feasibility, and process optimization. What You’ll Do Assume the role as a subject matter expert for softgoods at Tesla Work with design engineering to select and validate materials Write material standards for new materials Support process optimization for new materials Perform root‑cause analysis for difficult material issues Lead development projects in support of our long‑term goals of innovating through the use of advanced or novel materials What You’ll Bring Degree in Polymer Engineering, Materials Engineering, Chemistry or equivalent experience 3+ years of experience developing interior surface materials such as textiles, synthetic leather, carpeting, foam backings, suspension layers, foam layers, consolidated layers, and coatings Direct experience with the various test methods and requirements for softgoods, including UV stability, durability, chemical resistance, and dye transfer resistance Hands‑on exposure to Tesla Design to establish and meet targets for haptics and color Fundamental knowledge of polymers and polymer chemistry, and knowledge of the various manufacturing processes used to produce softgoods Hands‑on experience with standard analytical tools (FTIR, DSC, rheometry, DMA, etc.) Strong communication and organizational skills with the ability to manage projects independently Excellent technical writing skills and experience writing material standards Ability to learn quickly, adapt to an ever‑changing environment, and lead projects Benefits Medical plans with $0 payroll deduction and multiple options Family‑building, fertility, adoption, and surrogacy benefits Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both with $0 paycheck contribution options Company‑paid Health Savings Account contribution when enrolled in the high‑deductible medical plan with HSA Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts 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 salaried positions, accrued hours for hourly positions) and paid holidays Back‑up childcare and parenting support resources Voluntary benefits: 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 $109,600 - $234,000 annual salary + 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. Tesla #J-18808-Ljbffr Tesla