Process Technology Engineer, Refining Technology

Tesla

📍Austin, TX
Posted May 25, 2026

Job Overview

Position

Process Technology Engineer, Refining Technology

Company

Tesla

Location

Austin, TX

Work Type

On-site

Job ID

li-4418911617

Job Description

What To Expect
Imagine a world where infinite clean energy isn’t a promise, it’s a reality. Enabling abundant, clean energy production requires a complex supply of refined materials that are to become the backbone of Tesla’s solar manufacturing ecosystem. Tesla’s Refining Technology Team is responsible for the implementation of production processes at never-before-seen scale. If you’re a highly motivated and purpose-driven Process Engineer ready to solve problems that have never been solved before, this is your moment. Join us in turning the sun’s power into the world’s most abundant, accessible energy source.

What You'll Do

  • Responsible for the process design and key equipment, ensuring that the process and equipment can safely and reliably demonstrate rate, quality, and stability


  • Perform technoeconomic trade-offs for process design and equipment selection to support optimal plant performance


  • Author, review, and continuously update process deliverables throughout the project lifecycle, such as P&IDs, Mass & Energy Balances, equipment sizing calculations, etc.


  • Manage external vendors and technology suppliers to innovate on designs, coordinate on-site support, and ensure all deliverables meet quality and schedule requirements


  • Act as a technical liaison between technology and equipment suppliers, detailed engineering, and construction teams to facilitate prompt review of deliverables, ensure seamless information transfer at battery limits, and incorporate process and equipment changes


  • Collaborate with production engineers to develop and review operational frameworks, including SOPs, Operating Envelopes, Alarm Rationalization, etc.


  • Support process safety initiatives by tracking and ensuring timely closeout of action items and risks identified during PHA and PFMEA analyses


What You'll Bring
  • Degree in Chemical Engineering or equivalent experience


  • 2-5 years of relevant industry experience, preferably in process design or production engineering


  • Strong fundamental understanding and use of engineering principles (e.g., mass & energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics) to diagnosis, investigate, and solve problems


  • Demonstrated ability to analyze and clearly communicate complex technical data, particularly using data visualization tools (e.g., Excel, PowerPoint, Power BI) to present


  • Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic team environment


  • Familiarity with project management tools, process simulation software, (e.g. Aspen, Syscad, etc.) and process safety management


  • Experience in a large-scale operating plant, refinery, or manufacturing site, preferably with fluid bed reactors, distillation towers, or pressure vessels


  • Comfortable traveling up to 50% of the time


Benefits
Compensation and 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


, Tesla

Interview Prep

AI-powered insights to help you prepare

Key Skills

Required:
Preferred:

Practice Questions

💡Technical Questions (3)
  • 1.How do you approach performing technoeconomic trade-offs when selecting key equipment for a new process design?
  • 2.Can you walk me through your process for developing and updating P&IDs, Mass & Energy Balances, and equipment sizing calculations throughout a project lifecycle?
  • 3.Describe your experience with process safety initiatives, specifically regarding PHA and PFMEA. How do you ensure identified risks are actually mitigated?
🎯Behavioral Questions (3)
  • 1.Tell me about a time you had to act as a technical liaison between technology suppliers, engineering teams, and construction. How did you ensure seamless information transfer?
  • 2.Give an example of a time you had to make a critical decision regarding process design while working in a fast-paced, dynamic team environment with incomplete information.
  • 3.Describe a situation where you collaborated with production engineers to develop operational frameworks like SOPs or Alarm Rationalization. What was your approach?
🧩Situational Questions (2)
  • 1.You discover that a key piece of equipment sourced from an external vendor does not meet the required quality deliverables and is delaying the schedule. The vendor is on-site but uncooperative. How do you handle this?
  • 2.During a late-stage PHA review, a significant process safety risk is identified that requires a fundamental change to the reactor design. However, construction has already begun. What steps do you take?

Resume Keywords

Make sure these keywords appear on your resume

Process DesignTechnoeconomicP&IDMass & Energy BalanceEquipment SizingVendor ManagementProcess SafetyPHAPFMEAAspenFluid Bed ReactorSOPs

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