I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Tesla (Palo Alto, CA) in Mar 2025
Interview
Had two rounds of interview, first with the team manager and second with another member from the team. Both were fairly technical mixed with a little behavioral questions. Both for them went directly into the core problem that the team is working on and we spoke about that for almost 3/4th of the interview and spent the rest talking about my work and profile.
Started with 2 technical rounds. First one was basic MechE questions. Second round interviewer was in a hurry and not so open to listening your thought process. There were questions on electromechanical concepts as well
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Difference in bolt torque in hot and cold conditions
The interview was extremely technical. They didn’t ask for an introduction or any background before immediately diving into solving textbook-style engineering problems. The focus was almost entirely on technical problem-solving rather than behavioral conversation or learning about my experience.
Phone screen, Technical foundations test (1 hour, 10 questions on statics, dynamics, E&M, circuits, etc. – sent as PDF and returned via email), technical interviews, on-site behavioral and technical interviews with portfolio presentation.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Determine the optimal packing efficiency of cylindrical battery cells in a rectangular battery pack.