Mechanical Engineer, Infrastructure, Energy

About This Role

This high-octane engineering role is part of Tesla's newest technical team, Infrastructure DesignX, focused on inventing the infrastructure for next-generation R&D labs and gigafactories. The Mechanical Engineer drives energy efficiency, decarbonization, and detailed life cycle cost assessments, translating conceptual models into real mechanical systems. The role involves optimizing energy performance at the intersection of architecture, electrical, mechanical, and controls engineering.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive energy modeling and simulations to optimize building performance, evaluate Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs), and calculate operational carbon emissions (CO2e)
• Research local initiatives and credits for implementing energy efficiency upgrades
• Conceptualize complex mechanical HVAC, central utility plant (CUP), and hydronic distribution systems for large-scale R&D and manufacturing environments
• Conduct detailed heating and cooling load calculations using industry-standard software to size mechanical equipment accurately
• Select and specify mechanical equipment, including chillers, boilers, cooling towers, air handling units (AHUs), pumps, and fans
• Collaborate with the Controls Engineering team to develop sequences of operations that maximize the efficiency of mechanical systems
• Evaluate lifecycle costs of various mechanical system architectures to guide design decisions
• Ensure all designs comply with relevant building codes, mechanical codes, and energy standards (e.g., ASHRAE, California Title 24)
• Manage and prioritize design requests for new construction builds, existing site facilities support, and legacy site enhancement projects
• Research emerging technologies and evaluate performance claims, maturity level (TRL), reliability data, safety/code implications, maintainability, and vendor viability

Requirements

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Architectural Engineering, or a related field with 5+ years of relevant experience
• Experience with decarbonization initiatives and CO2 emissions studies
• Proficiency in energy modeling and load calculation software (e.g., EnergyPlus, IESVE, Trane TRACE, Carrier HAP, OpenStudio)
• Deep understanding of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, psychrometrics, and heat transfer
• Proven experience designing custom airside and waterside systems, including variable flow hydronics and specialized exhaust systems
• Familiarity with building information modeling (BIM) software, specifically Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD
• Strong knowledge of sustainable building practices and energy-efficient system design
• Ability to read, interpret, and produce detailed mechanical schematics, P&IDs, and construction documents