Sr. Controls Engineer, Facilities Engineering

About the role

Tesla is seeking a highly motivated Sr. Controls Engineer for Gigafactory NV in the Reno/Sparks area. The Gigafactory Facilities Controls team drives to optimize the factory by developing, standardizing, and deploying the control systems behind large-scale utility and facilities infrastructure including chilled water plants, dry air systems, chemical refineries, and manufacturing tool cooling water systems — in support of highly innovative manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day sustaining support of deployed facilities control systems — respond to downtime events, diagnose root cause across PLC, I/O, instrumentation, and network layers, and drive permanent corrective actions
• Learn and maintain fluency in the standardized Facilities Controls Library (function blocks, AOIs and device templates) across Siemens and Rockwell platforms
• Read and interpret existing sequencer architecture, mode logic, and interlock schemes for utility systems such as chilled water, dry air systems, and chemical refineries; update logic to reflect changing process requirements
• Perform PID loop tuning and control optimization on operating equipment to improve system stability, energy efficiency, and equipment life
• Execute controlled changes end to end: scope, offline simulation/validation, MOC approval, field implementation, verification, and as-built documentation and redlines
• Own and evolve the deployed facilities control network architecture — maintain ring topology and redundancy schemes, manage device profiles and address plans, execute switch and node replacements without process interruption
• Support safety system validation and periodic proof testing on existing safety logic
• Partner with operations to keep tag data exchange, alarming, and screens aligned as process system changes and perform alarm rationalization and nuisance-alarm reduction on in-service facilities systems to improve operator response
• Support start-up and commissioning of retrofits and small capital additions, including point-to-point checkout, functional testing, and tuning through system handoff
• Provide expert on-call support for system outages and failover incidents
• Mentor junior controls engineers and technicians on troubleshooting methodology, library architecture, and network fundamentals; drive continuous improvement activities with key stakeholders and system engineering groups

Requirements

• Degree in Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, Control Systems, Computer Science, Automation Engineering or equivalent experience
• 5–8 years of hands-on Controls Engineer experience supporting, troubleshooting, and modifying PLC-based automation systems in a live production environment
• Demonstrated ability to read, trace, and reverse-engineer existing PLC code written by others following state machines, sequencers, and mode transitions
• Proficiency in Siemens TIA Portal (SCL and Ladder) and/or Rockwell Studio 5000 (Ladder, AOI development); strong candidates will have depth in one platform and working fluency in the other
• Experience working within an established, standardized control code library (function blocks, AOIs, device templates), extending and instantiating standard objects rather than writing one-off logic
• Strong understanding of closed-loop control, including hands-on PID loop tuning and optimization on real process equipment
• Experience with facilities or process utility systems (chilled water, compressed air, dry air systems, chemical refineries strongly preferred)
• Comfortable performing online troubleshooting on running equipment: online edits, trend capture, forcing discipline, and change control on production controllers
• Strong industrial networking expertise: ring/redundant topologies (PROFINET MRP, EtherNet/IP DLR, RSTP), managed switch configuration and diagnosing comms faults, I/O dropouts, and ring-break events on live networks
• Hands-on with PROFINET (GSDML device profiles, IRT/RT, topology and neighbor detection), PROFIBUS DP/PA (segment design, couplers/links, termination, addressing), Modbus TCP (register mapping, gateways, third-party skid integration), and EtherNet/IP
• Familiarity with SCADA/HMI platforms (Ignition preferred), including tag architecture and client/gateway troubleshooting
• Working knowledge of machine and process safety concepts (safety PLCs, safety-rated I/O, functional safety standards) preferred

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Medical plans 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