Quality Engineer, Optimus

Tesla Motors, Inc.
paid holidays, flex time, 401(k)
United States, Texas, Austin
May 20, 2026
What to Expect Tesla is building Optimus, a general-purpose humanoid robot designed to perform unsafe, repetitive, or boring tasks. Bringing this product to scale demands a quality function thatoperatesas fast as engineering and production - and that holds the line on safety, reliability, andbuildintegrity at every stage. As a Quality Engineer on the Optimus program, you will own quality across the full lifecycle of robot subsystems and assemblies: from supplier andcomponentqualification, through line build and integration test, into reliability validation and field return analysis. You will work shoulder-to-shoulder with design, manufacturing, controls, and supplier engineering to drive defects toward zero and turn field data into upstream design and process improvements. What You'll Do Own quality for assigned Optimus subsystems (e.g., actuators, joints, sensors, harnesses, structural assemblies) end-to-end: supplier to incoming to line build to integration test to field Develop and execute integration and functional test plans for sub-assemblies and full-robot validation; partner with controls and software teams on HIL and regression strategies Lead root-cause investigations (8D, fishbone, fault-tree) for line-side defects, integration test failures, and field returns; drive corrective and preventive actions to closure Define andmonitorin-line quality controls - FAI, FQT, SPC,Cpktargets, poka-yoke - and partner with manufacturing engineering to design defects out of the process Qualify new suppliers and components: PPAP, sample inspection, capability studies, and on-site supplier development as needed Build the reliability data pipeline for Optimus: failure mode tracking, MTBF/durability targets, DFR feedback into design reviews, and warranty/field-quality reporting Drive disposition decisions on non-conforming material (MRB) and lead containment when escapes occur Translate field and production data into prioritized engineering action - what isactually breaking, why, and what changes upstream What You'll Bring 3+ years of quality engineering experience in robotics, automotive, aerospace, medical devices, or other complex electromechanical hardware Strong hands-on experience using AI/LLM tools (e.g., Claude, Copilot, Cursor) to accelerate root-cause analysis - querying large production and test datasets, summarizing failure modes, and building data pipelines to turn raw SCADA/MES/test data into actionable engineering insight Hands-on experience with at least three of: manufacturing/line QE, supplier quality and PPAP, system integration test, reliability/DfR, field/warranty analysis Demonstrated ownership of structured problem solving (8D, DMAIC, FTA) with measurable defect-reduction results Working knowledge of GD&T, measurement systems (MSA, gage R&R), and SPC Comfort working directly on the production floor - debugging robots, pulling data, and standing up containment in hours, not days Proficient in data analysis using SQL, Python, or equivalent; able to turn raw production/test data into actionable insight Strong written and verbal communication; able to brief findings to engineering leadership and influence cross-functional decisions 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