Sr. Systems & Continuous Improvement Lead

Description:
Our team is operationalizing a unified, high-bar system integrating quality, production, and cultural processes across the Energy division—to drive business growth, eliminate waste from silos, and capture company-wide knowledge for 5,000+ employees. As the champion and leader, this senior role requires deep expertise from world-class systems environments (e.g., Toyota, GE, Caterpillar) to develop, architect, adopt, and inspect scalable solutions that foster talent growth and program excellence. Expect to lead without formal authority, influence senior stakeholders through strong communication and charisma, oversee a team of site-based Continuous Improvement Specialists, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and leverage tools like AI and data analytics for predictive failure tracking and efficiency optimizations. You'll thrive in a fast-paced, innovative culture that values relentless improvement, first principles thinking, and sustainable practices to prevent burnout, while developing talent, programs, and systems that institutionalize Lean, Kaizen, and Six Sigma principles to support global remanufacturing and site-specific goals. This position allows for employment in one of the following locations: Reno, NV, Lathrop, CA, or Brookshire, TX.

Responsibilities:
Champion and lead the development of the system's overall architecture, creating robust, repeatable, decentralized systems that exceed ISO 9001 standards and integrate quality, production, and cultural elements, while nurturing a culture of continuous evolution
Develop and execute adoption strategies and programs, including change management, incentives, and training initiatives to drive cross-site usage, ownership, and long-term program sustainability
Establish inspection and audit strategies with feedback loops to monitor compliance, effectiveness, and continuous improvement opportunities
Guide the strategic use of tools to enable visibility, predictive insights, and knowledge capture, including AI-driven analytics for tracking KPIs such as install success rates, failure modes by product line, and cost/benefit analyses for global investments
Lead and mentor a team of Continuous Improvement Specialists across key sites (e.g. Gigafactory NY, Megafactory CA/TX, Gigafactory NV, and Global Remanufacturing), developing their talent through coaching, prioritizing projects via Pareto analysis tied to OKRs, leading Kaizen events and gemba walks, and fostering knowledge sharing to standardize best practices without silos
Serve as liaison with site continuous improvement managers, facilitating collaboration to align on goals and resolve bottlenecks
Influence senior leadership through data-driven insights, compelling presentations, and proactive problem-solving to secure buy-in
Identify and prioritize improvement opportunities across functions, applying Lean principles and first principles thinking to eliminate duplicated efforts, with emphasis on high-impact areas like battery assembly, supply chain integration, and root-cause optimizations (e.g. PFMEA risk mitigations)
Develop and champion talent development programs, such as CI workshops, certification pathways, and recognition initiatives, to build a pipeline of high-performing leaders and embed Tesla's leadership tenets across the organization

Requirements:
Degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Systems Engineering, or equivalent experience
8+ years in systems/operations engineering, with senior-level experience at a strong systems company (e.g. Toyota, GE, Caterpillar)
Proven expertise in continuous improvement/Lean methodologies (e.g. Toyota Production System, Six Sigma) in manufacturing or energy sectors, including Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification and hands-on experience in strategic project management, cross-site facilitation, and developing scalable programs
Track record of influencing senior stakeholders and driving change without formal authority ("cult of personality" style), with a proven ability to champion initiatives as a visionary leader
Strong project management skills, with experience prioritizing multiple initiatives and providing stakeholder updates, including training teams on CI tools (e.g. DMAIC, 5S, Process Quality Control) and tracking metrics like OEE, defect rates, and first-pass yield to develop high-impact systems
Ability to work independently with bias for action, while collaborating effectively across diverse global teams
Excellent verbal and written communication to lead without authority and communicate system health/integrity
Demonstrated initiative, resilience, impeccable judgment, and comfort making decisions with incomplete information
Proficiency in quality tools/methodologies (e.g. Lean, SPC) and familiarity with AI/data tools for scalable systems is a plus, with experience in global data integration for failure analysis, remanufacturing strategy, and talent development programs

Compensation & Benefits:
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

Expected Compensation
$130,320 - $227,880/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefitsPay 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. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.