Sr. Manager Technical Programs, NPI, Solar Manufacturing

About the role

Tesla is seeking a Sr. Technical Program Manager, NPI to lead new product and process introductions across solar manufacturing at a massive 100 GW scale. This role will be a core leader in our new Solar Manufacturing organization and will own taking new products, materials, and processes from concept through pilot, ramp, and handoff into high‑volume manufacturing within a new greenfield facility. Scope spans all process areas, including Ingot, Wafer, and Cell manufacturing. It is a hands‑on program and people‑leadership role for someone who thrives on cross‑functional execution, launching processes, and delivering world‑class safety, quality, delivery, and cost. The role is core to Tesla’s mission of accelerating the world’s transition to amazing abundance, driving manufacturing readiness and ramp performance from development into the shop floor.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team responsible for executing new product, material, and process introductions into the factory from program scope and definition through MBOM creation, supply chain readiness, pilot builds, and production implementation.
• Plan, organize, and orchestrate pre‑launch and pilot activities including slow builds, material and process trials, design/process iterations, equipment and process qualification, production readiness gates, and sample‑size trials.
• Scale introductions into mass production with high reliability, repeatability, and robustness to hit aggressive ramp schedules alongside operations teams.
• Lead cross‑functional readiness across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain; track blockers, drive recovery plans, and provide clear status at working and executive forums.
• Oversee manufacturing validation and handoff from launch planning to production ownership, including factory/line transition, production release of process documentation, training readiness, and excess/obsolescence follow‑through.
• Own change control for NPI introductions, ensuring design, process, and material changes are assessed, approved, implemented, and closed with full traceability.
• Ensure PFMEA, control plans, work instructions, standardized work, and release packages are complete before production release, and continuously improve the NPI playbook for faster, cleaner introductions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent professional experience.
• 10+ years of experience in a mix of engineering and project management fields with evidence of exceptional ability managing multiple complex programs/projects simultaneously; solar or semiconductor experience strongly preferred.
• Proven people‑leadership experience building, coaching, and holding a technical team accountable for program delivery.
• Experience supporting factory launch, equipment start‑up, technology transfer, or production ramp.
• Strong understanding of multidiscipline engineering fundamentals and ability to apply first‑principles problem solving.
• Working knowledge of standardized work, lean manufacturing, SPC, DOE, PFMEA, change control, and structured problem‑solving frameworks.
• Clear written and verbal communication with operators, engineers, and senior leadership.

Benefits

• Competitive pay with full‑time employment eligibility for benefits from day 1.
• Medical plans with $0 payroll deduction options.
• Family‑building, fertility, adoption, and surrogacy benefits.
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans with $0 paycheck contribution options.
• Company‑paid Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions when enrolled in the high‑deductible medical plan.
• 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 salaried positions, accrued hours for hourly positions) and paid holidays.
• Back‑up childcare and parenting support resources.
• Voluntary benefits including 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.