Associate Manager, Incoming Quality Lab
Description
Tesla is seeking an experienced quality lab leader to join our LFP Manufacturing Operation, supporting a state-of-the-art materials and battery testing laboratory focused on raw material characterization and incoming quality validation. As the Associate Manager of the Incoming Quality Lab, you will uphold Tesla's commitment to accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energy by ensuring that only safe, reliable, and high-quality materials and components enter our factories safeguarding production by identifying and gating defective components, while enabling manufacturing excellence through expert troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of equipment, environmental, and material failures. Through precision, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration, you will work in close partnership with Quality Engineering, Design, Supply Chain, and Process Engineering teams to ensure raw materials and products are built right the first time and continuously improved to meet our customers' expectations and profitability goals empowering Tesla to deliver world-class products that drive innovation and sustainability forward.
Responsibilities
- Lead and manage day-to-day operations of the Incoming Quality Lab, including personnel, equipment, MRB process and testing workflows
- Oversee raw material characterization and incoming inspection programs for LFP cell manufacturing
- Develop, implement, and maintain incoming quality control plans, sampling strategies, and acceptance criteria
- Drive root-cause analysis and corrective action processes for material non-conformances, equipment failures, and environmental deviations
- Partner with Supply Chain and Supplier Quality teams to evaluate, qualify, and monitor material suppliers
- Establish and track key quality metrics (incoming rejection rates, lot acceptance rates, turnaround times) and support new material qualifications and design changes
- Mentor and develop lab supervisors and engineers while ensuring lab operations comply with safety, regulatory, and Tesla quality standards
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of experience in quality, materials testing, or laboratory operations in a manufacturing environment, including 2+ years leading technical teams
- Strong understanding of incoming quality control methodologies, statistical process control (SPC), measurement systems analysis (MSA/Gage R&R), and analytical method validation
- Experience with root-cause analysis tools (8D, DMAIC, Fishbone, 5-Why)
- Familiarity with battery materials, electrochemistry, or energy storage manufacturing is highly preferred
- Proficiency in quality management systems (QMS) and laboratory information management systems (LIMS)
- Excellent cross-functional communication skills with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth manufacturing environment