Internship, Automation Electrode Engineer, Cell Engineering (Fall 2025)

Consider before submitting an application:

This position is expected to start August/September 2025 and continue through the entire Fall term (i.e. through approx December 2025) or into Winter/Spring 2026 if available. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time and on-site, for most internships.

International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school on your ability to work 40 hours per week before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week on-site. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year.

The Internship Recruiting Team is driven by the passion to recognize and develop emerging talent. Our year-round program places the best students in positions where they will grow technically, professionally, and personally through their experience working closely with their manager, mentor, and team. We are dedicated to providing an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team’s success.

The Advanced Automation Engineer (Electrode) will work to develop machine and process concepts alongside other engineers for our dry electrode manufacturing program. Candidate will create a robust system architecture to support the concept and the layout electrical/pneumatic schematics. Once the electrical panel is built, will program all controls components such as PLC, safety devices, HMI, servo drives, process hardware from power-on to debug. Support through FAT/SAT/SOP phases. This role will also be responsible for process fine tuning and validation. The Automation Engineer will also work with cross-functional teams throughout the entire lifecycle of the product and processes. Will work closely with manufacturing engineering, equipment design engineering, facility infrastructure, Maintenance and Environment health and safety to bring components from initial design, through prototype development and finally into full R&D production on-site.

Location: Fremont, CA

• Participate in initial equipment conceptual development and carefully balance product specifications, process control requirements, layout complexity, cost, quality and lead-time limits

• Architect, write, and debug PLC ST language with an emphasis on generating code that is organized, structured, documented, maintainable and reusable. PLC code will interact with subsystems such as conveyors, Manufacturing Execution System (MES), machine vision, and 3rd party equipment

• Implement (ANSI/RIA15.06/OSHA compliant) control reliable safety systems for safeguarding robots, gantries, conveyors, and other high volume manufacturing equipment

• Generate aesthetically simple HMI screens for complex machinery while providing sufficient feedback for troubleshooting

• Manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, pneumatic and fluid plumbing

• Select and size electrical and electromechanical components such as servos

• Introduce automated processes into R&D, and train and Maintenance and Manufacturing Teams to support after deployment into production

• Create machine interactions with plant-wide Manufacturing

• Lay out new industrial electrical control panels which are NFPA79/NEC/UL508A compliant, and create electrical, pneumatic, and fluid schematics

• Pursuing a Degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

• Proficiency with process integration and electromechanical / mechatronic systems

• Knowledge of Safety standards (ANSI/RIA15.06, OSHA)

• Siemens PLC (Siemens TIA Portal) Or Code-sys PLCs (Beckhoff/Code-system/Rexroth/B&R)

• Safety PLCs (Beckhoff/Siemens)

• Human Machine Interface (Siemens HMI, Beckhoff HMI, Ignition)

• Field bus Networks (Ethercat/Profinet/TCP-IP)

• Ethernet communications between machine PLCs and database systems(OPCUA/ADS)

• Demonstrated excellence in programming PLCs. Must have a well-defined methodology for maintaining code structure and organization. Ability to program state machines for complex processes which involve multi-station parallel processing, pick and place automation, data acquisition, and PID control. Proven ability to design fault-tolerant systems with error handling and recovery

• Proficiency selecting appropriate circuit protectors, wire and cable, sensors, safety hardware, PLC hardware, remote I/O, VFD and servo systems

• Proficiency programming and tuning servo drives

• Exposure to a wide variety of production machinery, industrial sensors, and equipment (Hydraulic, Motioncontrol, LVDT and pressure transducers, dispense systems, temperature controllers, current and power meters, etc.)

• Experience transitioning products and processes from prototype to production

• In depth knowledge of Electrical Standards (NFPA79, National Electric code, UL508A)

• In depth knowledge of Object-oriented programming , ISA-88 PACKML, IEC 61131-3

• Proficiency programming and tuning servo drives

• Exposure to a wide variety of production machinery, industrial sensors, and equipment (Hydraulic, Motion control, LVDT and pressure transducers, dispense systems, temperature controllers, current and power meters, etc)

• Experience with Vision systems (Cognex, Keyence)

• Experience creating technical specifications for automated manufacturing equipment is highly desired

• Knowledge of production quality metrics is a plus

• Proficiency creating detailed electrical and fluid schematics in CAD (E-plan preferred)