Mechanical Design Engineer – Lighting & Exteriors Engineering

About the role

Join Tesla's Vehicle Engineering team in Berlin as a Mechanical Design Engineer focused on Lighting & Exteriors. You will help create next‑generation automotive lighting and exterior systems for European and global markets, working in a fast‑paced, interdisciplinary environment.

Key responsibilities

• Design and deliver customer‑driven lighting and exterior system targets, balancing craftsmanship, function, cost, and weight.
• Perform detailed design work including surface development, structural analysis, datum strategy, attachments, and GD&T.
• Complete and release component and subsystem designs, leveraging in‑house tools and supplier engineering as needed.
• Collaborate with key suppliers to approve tooling designs and ensure manufacturability.
• Support vehicle development milestones, prototype builds, and production events.
• Work with cross‑functional teams (Design Studio, Manufacturing, Quality, Low‑Voltage Electronics, Body‑in‑White, Procurement) to guarantee assembly feasibility and serviceability.
• Manage design changes, BOM updates, corrective actions, and maintain product development documentation (SOR, DFMEA, DVP&R).

Required profile

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience with proven ability.
• Proficiency in CATIA V5 and CATIA 3DX, strong understanding of GD&T.
• Knowledge of modern lighting technologies (lightguides, light blades, adaptive forward lighting, laser, OLED, matrix, DMD).
• Familiarity with lighting homologation standards (FMVSS 108, ECE R48) and optical system development.
• Experience with manufacturing processes such as plastic injection molding, thermoforming, SMC, and bonding.
• Experience managing suppliers for lighting or exterior product development.

Required skills

• CATIA V5
• CATIA 3DX
• Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Lighting technologies: lightguides, light blades, adaptive forward lighting, laser, OLED, matrix, DMD
• FMVSS 108 compliance
• ECE R48 compliance
• Plastic injection molding
• Thermoforming
• Sheet Molding Compound (SMC)
• Bonding processes
• Supplier management