Manufacturing Jobs in San Diego, CA
Manufacturing jobs in San Diego are concentrated in Otay Ranch, Kearny Mesa, and Miramar, anchored by defense, biotech, and electronics sectors that keep demand active year-round. Employers hiring right now include Dexcom, Abzena, and Fabric8Labs. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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The Cell Manufacturing Engineering team at Tesla is looking for a highly motivated Manufacturing Engineer to contribute to the development and design of battery cell manufacturing equipment.
Battery cells are one of the most complex and challenging components designed and manufactured at Tesla. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to Tesla’s world-class manufacturing facilities. Tesla is a demanding and fast-paced environment where you will work on designing and developing a new generation of leading edge, high speed, ultra-high scale automated manufacturing equipment.
In addition to developing and sourcing automated manufacturing equipment, the Manufacturing Equipment Engineer works with cross-functional teams to test, validate, and roll-out equipment to production. The ideal candidate takes pride in his/her hands-on work, analytical ability, organizational skills, and attention to detail. S/he appreciates an environment where superior work is encouraged, noticed, and rewarded and where individuals carry tremendous responsibility. S/he looks forward to learning an incredible amount on the job.
What You'll Do
- Take equipment from a rough concept to full production
- Manage equipment suppliers or internal design teams through development and deployment milestones -RFQ, PO release, FDR, FAT, SAT, SOP
- Develop line layouts, station requirements (work content, automated versus manual, buffering strategy, redundancy requirements, etc.) and equipment timing charts
- Develop material flow strategy within factory and identify utilities needed and utility distribution strategy (PDPs, compressed air, process water, etc.)
- Complete process failure mode and analysis (PFMEA)
- Visit and evaluate equipment vendors
- Oversee equipment installation and coordinate with building and utilities team
- Provide all necessary documentation, including manufacturing instructions, spare parts lists, maintenance plans, electrical drawings, and related materials, train relevant team members on equipment usage, hand over the equipment to the sustaining production team
What You'll Bring
- Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of related experience developing and launching new manufacturing equipment
- Experience with large manufacturing lines implementation
- Experience with industrial engineering concepts—such as line balancing and timing charts
- Good mechanical aptitude and understanding of tolerance stack up, Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally
- Understanding of manufacturing equipment safety systems (Safety PLCs, safety category requirements, robot safety, safety guarding, light curtains, LOTO, etc.)
- Strong familiarity with structured problem-solving methodologies such as DMAIC, 5 Whys, Fishbone, and 8D
- Experience with developing layouts in AutoCAD and designing mechanical equipment, fixturing, and tooling in CAD (SolidWorks preferred, Catia is also a plus)
- Experience with vision systems, PLC controls (Allen Bradley, Siemens, and/or Beckhoff) and MES & database system architecture and data tracking Python and/or MYSQL is preferred
- Experience with following manufacturing equipment is a plus: Electrolyte fill, laser welding, prismatic cell formation, automated storage and retrieval systems
Compensation and 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
Pay 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.
Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.
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Who's Hiring
- Dexcom64

- Abzena32

- Fabric8Labs21

- Innoflight21

- BD11

Top Industries Hiring
- Medical Devices32
- Electronics & Hardware21
- Manufacturing11
Manufacturing Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a manufacturing job in San Diego?
Start by targeting San Diego's strongest manufacturing clusters: defense contractors in Miramar and Kearny Mesa, biotech and medical device firms in Torrey Pines and Sorrento Valley, and electronics producers near Otay Ranch. Hands-on certifications in CNC operation, quality inspection, or lean manufacturing stand out here. Candidates who can clear a background check for defense-related work gain a meaningful edge over the competition.
Which companies hire manufacturings in San Diego?
Companies currently hiring manufacturings in San Diego include Dexcom, Abzena, and Fabric8Labs, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Diego's employer mix skews heavily toward defense prime contractors, medical device manufacturers, and semiconductor companies, many of which maintain production facilities across Kearny Mesa and the Otay Ranch corridor.
Are there remote manufacturing jobs in San Diego?
Yes, but only for certain roles. Hands-on production, assembly, and quality control positions are almost always on-site by nature. About 11% of manufacturing openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, concentrated in roles like production planning, supply chain coordination, and manufacturing process engineering that do not require physical floor presence.
How can I get a manufacturing job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Diego is landing a production associate or assembly technician role with one of the area's medical device or defense subcontractors, many of which actively hire and train entry-level candidates in Kearny Mesa and National City. San Diego Continuing Education and MiraCosta College both offer manufacturing skills certificates that local employers recognize. Reliability and a clean background check matter as much as credentials for first roles.
Which industries hire the most manufacturings in San Diego?
The sectors hiring the most manufacturings in San Diego are Medical Devices, Electronics & Hardware, and Manufacturing, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Diego's unique concentration of defense contractors, life sciences companies, and electronics firms creates sustained demand that tends to hold steady even when national manufacturing hiring slows.
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