What to Expect
As a Technical Program Manager in the Occupant Safety & Restraints Engineering team you will support the team in facilitating the development of various occupant safety systems for all current and future Tesla vehicles designed and produced at Tesla’s European facilities in Germany. Your focus will be ensuring seamless collaboration with cross-functional teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality throughout the product lifecycle—from design development and validation to launch, production ramp, and post-SOP support, including coordinating, developing, and executing engineering changes for problem resolution, performance improvement and cost/weight optimization efforts. This role centers on delivering localized excellence for the Germany-based team, while maintaining alignment with global engineering standards and strategies.
To excel in this role, you must thoroughly understand the needs of the business to help develop timelines, workflows and plans that solve for Tesla’s aggressive targets. Additionally, you must have sufficient technical expertise to assist local cross-functional teams in developing design guidelines, providing results interpretation, and giving technical direction in matters related to passive safety systems performance and their interaction with other systems.
Commodities of particular importance for this role include airbags, seat belts and crash/pedestrian sensing with the integration of these commodities into a finished vehicle that meets all internal safety targets. You will utilize your abilities in working with complex and multi-disciplinary teams of the best automotive engineers in the industry. You will report to the Global Safety and Restraints Sr. Manager, and work shoulder to shoulder with safety engineering team members, supply chain, manufacturing stakeholders, quality engineers and engineering program managers of other related vehicle subsystems.
What You'll Do-
Be the main point of contact for local cross-functional teams for any matters related to airbag, seatbelt, sensing and pedpro systems.
- Support and execute the implementation of engineering changes for safety and restraints commodities. Coordinate line trials, drive the approval of changes with cross-functional stakeholders, understand and communicate efficiently change implications, from attribute safety performance, to quality, cost, and timing.
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Holistically identify risks and opportunities for safety attributes and resolve technical conflicts requiring cross functional alignment.
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Identify, implement and drive program requirements, workflows and plans while managing timelines, risks, uncovering roadblocks, defining critical paths, and any other issues that arise for the launch and validation of new safety & restraint systems and components in the European manufacturing plant.
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Work continuously with supplier project managers to keep their timelines in line with program timelines and deliverables.
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Collaborate with suppliers to support overall vehicle launch milestones and prototype/production build events.
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Coordinate with suppliers regarding system/part level validation timelines to ensure completion of DVP timelines.
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Support supplier industrialization engineers in establishing and monitoring production readiness metrics, visit their manufacturing facilities, aid in the evaluation of quality checks to ensure the proper manufacturing and functioning of the systems, support line trials, as well as quality/root cause investigations.
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Oversee airbag and restraints system validation, including test planning and execution with cross functional teams.
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Report testing outcomes, communicate impacts to global teams, and assess rework needs.
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Inspect pre/post-test samples, create TIRs, and support root cause analysis and corrective actions.
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Support the Tesla test engineering team to ensure systems and components are delivered in time to testing sites and supplier locations across Europe to ensure DVP plans are timely executed.
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Compile part lists for crash vehicle retrofitting and ensure timely delivery of parts for system/vehicle testing at Tesla and external test laboratories. Support vehicle allocation and create purchase orders for testing series.
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Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering or other technical disciplines.
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2+ years of relevant experience in automotive or manufacturing required.
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Competent understanding and experience in Vehicle Safety Restraint Systems and/or vehicle crashworthiness is preferred.
- Solid Engineering fundamentals and mechanical aptitude in problem-solving.
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Knowledge of CAE analysis and restraint system integration and optimization.
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Adequate CAD knowledge (Catia preferred).
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Strong analytical and quantitative skills with ability to use data and metrics for quantifying risks and making recommendations.
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Demonstrated ability to execute complex projects with interconnected tasks in parallel, across teams, in a short timeframe, with ability to pivot rapidly.
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A “can do” attitude.Ability to work out ways around obstacles, see opportunities while facing technical difficulties and restrictive timing.
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Demonstrated experience of delivering results under restrictive schedule and limited resources.
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Demonstrated ability to multi-task on with ability to be flexible regarding evolving priorities
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Well organized with meticulous attention to detail.
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Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Nice to have
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Prior internship/work experience with Safety and Restraints commodities and proven results.
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FSAE or equivalent student team experience.
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Experience with agile project management systems and methodologies (including JIRA project setup and execution).
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.
