Design Manager, MEP Infrastructure

About the role

We're looking for an Infrastructure Design Manager with deep expertise in mechanical, electrical, structural, or architectural engineering; someone who doesn't just follow playbooks but questions assumptions and builds solutions from fundamental truths. In this role, you'll own the full design and engineering lifecycle for R&D infrastructure, from concept through construction.

Responsibilities

• Deconstruct complex infrastructure challenges to identify the true constraints; physical, regulatory, operational; before committing to solutions
• Challenge design assumptions inherited from previous projects; validate that each requirement reflects actual need, not historical convention
• Drive infrastructure projects from early concept through IFC, making decisive trade-offs across competing priorities (cost, schedule, constructability, operational performance)
• Take full accountability for design quality—not just milestone completion—ensuring solutions are robust, buildable, and aligned with long-term operational requirements
• Define fit-for-purpose strategies for design deliverables and permit packages based on project-specific risk profiles and schedule drivers
• Determine the right level of design resolution at each phase (30%, 60%, 90%, IFP, IFC) by understanding what decisions each milestone must enable
• Structure and facilitate design reviews that surface real issues—not just confirm compliance with templates
• Probe designs for failure modes, constructability gaps, and coordination conflicts before they become field problems
• Extract true requirements from stakeholder inputs; distinguish between hard constraints, preferences, and assumptions. Convert complex, multi-stakeholder needs into clear, actionable engineering scope that the team can execute against
• Identify critical-path design dependencies and sequence work to de-risk procurement and construction timelines. Recognize when design decisions are blocking downstream activities and drive resolution with appropriate urgency

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of professional experience in infrastructure or facility design and have demonstrated fluency across engineering disciplines, you can challenge specialists with informed questions, not just defer to them

Proven ability to decompose complex systems and identify the governing variables that drive design decisions

Track record of questioning inherited constraints and finding better solutions when warranted

Experience evaluating trade-offs quantitatively, not just qualitatively

Comfort with ambiguity and incomplete information—you know when to seek more data and when to decide with what you have

Experience delivering IFB, IFP, and IFC packages for complex MEP and infrastructure projects and familiarity with VDC/BIM-driven project delivery for industrial, or R&D facilities

Understanding of delivery methods (design-bid-build, IPD, fast-track) and when each is appropriate, with high ownership mentality. You solve problems, not point them out

Strong documentation and communication skills, you can distill complex technical problems into clear, actionable plans for diverse stakeholders

Intellectually curious with a bias toward understanding why things work, not just that they work and are energized by hard problems that don't have obvious answers

Qualifications

Degree in Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Structural Engineering, or the equivalent in experience

Skills

Intellectually curious with a bias toward understanding why things work, not just that they work and are energized by hard problems that don't have obvious answers

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
• 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
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• 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 $108,000 - $210,000/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.