START Supervisor, External Programs

Start

• Supervisor, External Programs | Tesla (Manufacturing)
• Location: AUSTIN, Texas | Req ID: 286355 | Job Type: Full-time
• What to Expect

This role leads START interns through their time at the factory and at Austin Community College: setting expectations, coaching performance, and making sure they leave ready for real manufacturing work. You will be their primary Tesla lead, the link to ACC and factory partners, and the person who keeps the intern experience structured, safe, and worth the investment. The work is hands-on people leadership in a changing environment—you will track performance in the data, make decisions without a perfect brief, and hold a high bar because good work here is noticed and rewarded.

What You'll Do

• Lead and supervise START interns day to day—attendance, performance, professionalism, and floor readiness—and hold the line on safety, professionalism, and Tesla standards with every intern and visitor
• Own the intern experience end to end: onboarding, issue resolution, conversion toward Tesla roles, and one-on-one coaching on systems, processes, and role-specific tasks until they can do the work with confidence
• Track intern data through the external programs dashboard and Tesla timekeeping systems; use it to spot issues early and act
• Serve as the primary point of contact for START interns during their time at Austin Community College and travel to ACC as needed to support them on site
• Facilitate in-person onboarding and training for START manufacturing groups of various sizes, and keep program materials and expectations current so interns are not trained on stale processes
• Run High School / Tesla Engagement days at Giga Texas so students get a clear, useful introduction to the factory
• Partner with manufacturing, recruiting, ACC, and training teams so intern assignments match real work, real standards, and hiring needs; gather feedback from interns, partners, and hiring managers to improve completion, job readiness, and intern pipeline quality

What You'll Bring

• Strong people management, with a track record of supervising, coaching, or leading interns, apprentices, or early-career employees—not just coordinating a calendar. Preferred: Tesla START, intern programs, community colleges, or other school-to-work pipelines
• Hands-on, dynamic leadership: you embrace change, stay close to the work, and make sound decisions in an ambiguous environment
• Strong analytical ability, organization, and attention to detail, including comfort tracking people and performance through dashboards and timekeeping systems. Preferred: familiarity with Tesla processes, Giga Texas operations, START delivery, or Tesla timekeeping systems
• Strong communication skills, equally comfortable in a large-group setting and in a direct one-on-one
• The ability to take complex manufacturing and technical work and make it clear, practical, and teachable. Preferred: manufacturing, maintenance, or high-volume operations background
• Judgment, empathy, and a service mindset—interns should feel supported without the standard dropping. Preferred: prior training, onboarding, or workforce-development experience
• Willingness to work on-site at Giga Texas and travel to Austin Community College as the programs require

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
• Earned Wage Access: Real-time pay access paid daily, subject to eligibility and schedule (applicable for below Sr. Managers levels)