I applied through a recruiter. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Tesla in Feb 2021
Interview
Interviewed in February, 2021, Contacted by recruiter, interview structure was as follows:
45 minute introduction call with recruiter
1 hour interview with Senior Engineer
Timed written exam (cant remember the exact time, though I believe it was 2 hours)
1 hour project presentation followed by 5 hours of panel interviews
Initial interviews focused on my background and experience, followed by some very basic technical questions about the position (think cantilever beams, stress-strain charts, etc.). Written exam was difficult, with questions clearly meant to trick you and test your thought process. It was multiple choice, but you also submit a photo of your work. Score seemed to not matter, so do not worry about a low "grade" as long as your work makes sense and was easy to follow.
The panel interview was by far the most difficult part of the process. I created a presentation about a device i designed in university, and presented to about 10 people. After this presentation, there was 15-30 minutes for questions, some of which focused on aspects of the design, others more on the technical background of the device.
After the rounds of questioning, one-on-one interviews with those in the presentation audience began. The interviews each seemed to have a theme, focusing on different topics, including solid mechanics, Mechancial design, material science, and heat transfer.
The process was long with very few breaks, and almost entirely technical.
Interview questions [2]
Question 1
How would you design an injection-molded latch mechanism? What design constraints must you take into account when creating an injection-molded part?
I applied online. The process took 5 months. I interviewed at Tesla (San Diego, CA) in Jun 2021
Interview
Applied in Jan, got email for interview in June, interviewed a week later, got offer the same day. The interview was a 30-minute phone call with the hiring manager. We mainly spoke about projects on my resume and my experience with CAD software and manufacturing processes.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Asked me questions about mechanical design for my club projects. Like why I made certain design decisions.
Started by talking about some previous experience, went fairly deep into one technical project and my problem solving methods. Then asked me various questions on engineering fundamentals (solid mechanics, linear circuits)