What to Expect
This team at Tesla Manufacturing Brandenburg in Grünheide builds the autonomy that lets a reach truck operate unmanned across our warehouse operations. We own the full on-vehicle stack: perception and vision-based localization, state estimation and mapping, motion planning and the behaviour layer that sequences navigation and load handling, the real-time interfaces to the vehicle's motion and safety systems, low-latency teleoperation for supervised recovery, and integration with the WMS and FMS that dispatch and track the work. Our remit runs from that software and systems architecture through to a machine that is functionally safe, CE-certified, and proven from a first pilot cell to dependable, everyday operation.
This role owns the control and safety layers that let the vehicle move, lift, and stop safely under software control, and the commissioning that makes them dependable on the floor. It brings the vehicle control unit, the mast hydraulics, and the safety PLC together into one working, closed-loop system.
Role mission
You integrate and commission the control and safety layers of a mobile industrial vehicle, and you stay responsible for the control interfaces and their implementation from the first bring-up through to reliable operation in the field.
- Bring up the interfaces to the vehicle control unit over CAN-FD and industrial Ethernet, covering traction, steer-by-wire, and the mast hydraulics, and implement the real-time bridge that turns planner commands into actuator setpoints.
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Implement the safety PLC to the Safety Engineer's requirements, covering the interlocks, the zone monitoring, the emergency-stop chain, and safe-torque-off and safe-stop, and validate the behaviour on hardware.
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Own the vehicle's hardware interfaces of this kind, including the automated charging and power handshakes and the BMS interface, from specification through to something that works reliably.
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Commission the vehicle and tune its motion, including the precise low-speed and creep behaviour, for both autonomous and teleoperated modes.
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Own the electrical and bus-level interface details with the vehicle's manufacturer as the design settles.
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Find and fix the control, timing, and fault-handling problems that only surface once you are in the field.
What You'll Bring
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Four to six years or more in controls or mechatronics on mobile machinery, industrial trucks, or AGVs and AMRs, rather than only fixed-cell robotics.
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Hands-on experience programming Siemens PLCs with the Siemens toolchain and TIA Portal.
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A strong background in CAN and CAN-FD, in real-time and closed-loop control, and in hydraulic or electro-hydraulic actuation and vehicle motion.
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A track record of taking complex hardware through bring-up and commissioning on site.
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A PLC-first engineer who is also happy writing enough C, C++, or Python to build the tooling and tests that bring-up needs, rather than a general software developer.
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The ability to work from a functional-safety specification and verify what you have built.
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Strong English, the language the team works in.
Nice to have-
The other industrial protocols you might meet here, such as PROFINET, EtherCAT, J1939, or OPC UA.
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A working understanding of ISO 13849 beyond the programming itself.
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German, which helps a great deal during on-site commissioning.
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A comfortable, AI-native way of working, using modern AI tools in your day-to-day work.
How you work with the team
You implement the safety PLC to the Safety Engineer's requirements and validate it together. You work with the technical lead on the interface between the vehicle control unit and the planner, with the field engineer during bring-up, and with the vehicle's manufacturer on the control and electrical side.
Outcomes in first 6-12 months
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The safety functions are verified on the hardware against the safety requirements and ready for production sign-off.
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The vehicle's motion and responsiveness are tuned and robust enough for autonomous and teleoperated operation in live aisles.
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The automated charging and power handshake runs unattended, with clear playbooks for the faults that surface in the field.
Candidates are expected to uphold and actively promote sustainability principles in their daily work, operating in line with Tesla Global Environmental, Health, Safety & Security (EHS&S) Policy and EMAS requirements, fostering a culture of continuous environmental improvement.
Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.
