Sr. Thermofluids Analyst, Energy Products

What to Expect

Tesla Energy is bringing battery, solar, and charging technologies to the grid, establishing new industries and defining the future of renewable energy ecosystems. The Safety Design team is at the forefront of enabling this vision by ensuring critical safety systems of highly energy-dense products work as intended.

As a thermofluids analyst, you will model and drive the design of battery energy systems in abusive and thermal-runaway scenarios to ensure and maintain Tesla’s robust safety record. You will explore physical phenomena and design sensitivities against Tesla’s core safety requirements. You will be the first-principles, physics-based guide to create an end-to-end safety case for our products.

The role is collaborative and cross-functional, requiring extensive interfacing with teams including systems engineering, parallel design teams, electrical/firmware engineering, and abuse testing, to name a few. Our team is composed of individuals who are thoughtful, fast-moving, self-motivated, love to solve difficult problems, quick to take up ownership and responsibility, and are team players.

What You'll Do

• Own in-depth modeling of gas distribution, combustion dynamics, and thermal propagation to drive design concepts and detailed design decisions for new and existing Tesla Energy battery systems
• Balance physics-based 1D analytical models with higher fidelity CFD/FEA and empirical approaches to efficiently drive product safety design and performance
• Anchor and relate modeling results to test data to validate models and ensure accuracy of safety performance
• Collaborate with design engineers to iterate on design strategies and optimize performance/system metrics at the detailed component and system level
• Support programs through the entire life cycle including spec development, modeling, prototype builds, test, and production
• Support execution of system safety FMEA and design validation plans, in collaboration with parallel validation and safety test engineering teams

What You'll Bring

• Excellent first principles understanding of heat transfer, fluid mechanics, combustion dynamics, and thermodynamics with relevant experience
• MATLAB and/or Python experience for building physics-based 1D models
• Strong fundamentals in FEA/CFD with demonstrated experience. Experience with STAR CCM, FDS, and FLACS strongly preferred
• Experience modeling, testing, and designing batteries or similar high-energy, safety-critical systems
• CAD modeling experience preferred
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes and practical design limitations
• Ability to relate modeling results to design ramifications and product-level impacts
• A detail-oriented personality with solid documentation and reporting skills, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced and challenging environment

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

Expected Compensation

$91,600 - $234,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

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.