Manager, Production Engineering Electrode - Cell Manufacturing

Tesla

Grünheide (Mark), Germany

Tesla is looking for a highly motivated Manager, Production Engineering Cell Electrode, who will serve as the technical and organizational leader for all engineering and maintenance functions within the Cell Electrode shop at GFBB Cell Manufacturing. Reporting directly to the Sr. Manager, Cell Manufacturing, you will own Process, Equipment, and Controls Engineering as well as Maintenance across one of the most technically complex and strategically significant manufacturing operations in the world.

The candidate who takes this role must be capable of developing deep process understanding from first principles and leading a team through high complexity. You will lead and develop an engineering and maintenance organization to ensure process stability, equipment reliability, and production performance.

What You’ll Do

Lead, develop, and scale the existing engineering and maintenance organization for Cell Electrode - own team structure, hiring, development, and performance management across all levels;
Own engineering performance across the shop - driving OEE, yield, and process stability through structured, data-driven problem-solving; establish process understanding from first principles;
Build and maintain strong working relationships across all key functions - Operations, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain, and other shop partners - aligning engineering priorities with operational needs and providing rapid technical response to production issues;
Serve as the primary interface between GFBB Cell Electrode and global process and equipment development teams - ensuring that local production learnings, escalations, and improvement needs are systematically fed into global development roadmaps, and that globally developed process and equipment advances are effectively transferred and implemented on the shop floor;
Work closely with Manufacturing Engineering to transition new equipment and processes to high-volume production - supporting alignment before tool handover and owning process stability and performance after the handover gate is passed;
Lead Maintenance as a systematic, proactive function - establish and drive PM programs, MTBF and MTTR tracking, spare parts strategy, and escalation frameworks; build a predictive maintenance culture structured for 24/5 operations scaling to 24/7;
Drive continuous process and equipment improvement across dry powder mixing, calendering and lamination, slitting, and inspection and metrology - identify, validate, and implement process parameter optimizations to improve yield, quality, and throughput;
Own Process FMEA as a live risk management tool - drive systematic risk identification and closure; embed a zero-defect mindset and ensure lessons learned feed back into updated standards;
Represent the Cell Electrode engineering function to senior leadership with clarity and confidence.

What You’ll Bring

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Materials, or Process Engineering - or equivalent with demonstrated exceptional ability;
7–12 years of experience in high -volume manufacturing with direct leadership of multi-disciplinary engineering and maintenance teams - industry background in precision web converting, coating and laminating, optical and functional films, pharmaceuticals, or battery separator manufacturing is strongly preferred;
Proven experience managing complexity and ambiguity in high-precision, high-velocity manufacturing - with hands-on background in processes operating at micron-scale precision such as roll-to-roll web handling, calendering, lamination, or precision slitting, and dry powder handling at scale including roller compaction, dry granulation, or advanced materials processing;
Strong background in OEE-driven engineering - demonstrated ability to establish baselines and close losses across availability, performance, and quality in a continuous, high-throughput environment;
Proven experience leading Maintenance teams systematically - establishing and driving PM programs, MTBF and MTTR tracking, spare parts strategy, and escalation frameworks;
Proven ability to lead and develop maintenance and engineering organizations across multiple process domains in a complex, high-velocity manufacturing environment across continuous shift operations - ensuring consistent technical depth and fast response capability across all operating hours;
Strong cross-functional leadership and relationship-building skills;
Proficiency in structured problem-solving (8D, DMAIC, or equivalent); experience applying FMEA as a live risk management tool across complex, multi-process manufacturing environments;
Proven leadership - leads high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams, mentors junior leaders, and drives cross-functional alignment without requiring escalation;
Willingness to provide shift coverage during critical ramp phases and travel internationally as required;
Fluent in English, German is a plus (written and spoken).