Design Engineer, Cabin Soft Goods

What to Expect

As a Design Engineer, Cabin Soft Goods on the Vehicle Interior Team at Tesla, you will focus on developing innovative surface materials and composite constructions for seating and interior products. This role spans the entire product lifecycle, from concept generation to production, ensuring materials meet stringent performance, sustainability, and manufacturing requirements. You will collaborate closely with product design engineers, testing engineers, and cross‑functional teams across vehicle engineering, manufacturing, and procurement to integrate materials seamlessly into Tesla’s cutting‑edge vehicle designs.

• Develop surface materials and composite constructions for seating and interior products through concept generation, design, validation, and production
• Derive material‑level requirements from system‑level specifications by observing and analyzing system interactions
• Correlate material specifications to end‑product reliability data for performance assurance
• Collaborate with product design and testing engineers to validate material performance at the system level
• Document material design data in 3D and 2D formats, integrating with hillside…
• Manage cross‑functional collaboration with vehicle engineering, manufacturing, and procurement teams to ensure system integration and compatibility
• Facilitate technical communication with commercial, quality, and supplier interfaces to support project goals

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Textile Engineering, Product Design, or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 2 years of experience with artificial leather, textiles, polyurethane foams, polymers, and elastomers
• Expertise in instrumentation and quantitative analysis, including stress/strain testing, abrasion testing, flexure, failure analysis, and microscopy
• Strong fundamentals in mechanical engineering (statics, kinematics, dynamics, vibrations, GD&T, statistical analysis)
• Solid knowledge of materials engineering (chemistry, microstructures, polymer science) and textile engineering (woven, knits, non‑woven, composites)
• Proficiency in technical communication through 3D modeling, 2D drawing, hand sketching, prototyping, and data presentation
• Demonstrated exceptional ability with strong organizational skills, self‑motivation, and capability to manage tight timelines and technical challenges

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

$84,000 - $180,000/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 mayabadil 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.