Sr. Counsel, Employment
Sr. Counsel, Employment at Tesla — Austin, Texas, United States
- Company: Tesla
- Location: Austin, Texas, United States
- Employment type: FULL_TIME
- Salary: USD 149–280000 / year
- Posted: 2026-06-17
About this role
What To Expect
Tesla is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Senior Counsel with a minimum of 10 years of employment law expertise to join our Legal Team. Based in Austin, Texas, Fremont, California, Palo Alto, California, or potentially another jurisdiction with significant Tesla operations, this role will provide strategic, high-level employment legal advice to internal business and HR teams with limited supervision. The position focuses on proactively identifying and mitigating employment law risks, assessing potential issues, and delivering practical, creative, and scalable solutions to business partners. A strong work ethic, exceptional time management skills, and the ability to prioritize a heavy workload efficiently are essential for success in this role.
What You'll Do
Provide legal advice and guidance on all aspects of employment law, including hiring, recruiting, termination, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, leave and disability accommodation, workers' compensation, non-competition, employee benefits, new market entry, and other employment-related issues across the Americas with emerging global elements
Collaborate with local and global legal and HR teams to ensure consistency in employment practices and policies across the organization
Support HR teams in continuously improving policies and programs while shaping legal strategy related to compliance, employee issues, internal investigations, audits, pre-dispute conflicts, and labor matters
Lead and collaborate with cross-functional partners on complex projects to sustain and enhance employment law compliance across multiple jurisdictions and regions
Support and advise Employee Relations on employee complaint and hotline investigation matters, as well as other workplace investigations, as needed
Establish and maintain relationships at a senior level, building credibility and trust with business partners, HR, legal, and other colleagues
Perform other duties as assigned by management
What You'll Bring
Licensed to practice law and in good standing with at least one US state bar, with the ability to register as in-house counsel
Minimum of 10 years of relevant legal experience with a focus on employment law, including experience in a senior in-house employment role, with Latin America or multi-jurisdictional employment law experience preferred
Ability to provide practical legal advice tailored to business needs and legal support on multi-jurisdictional issues and projects
Ability to independently manage and prioritize multiple projects with multiple teams simultaneously
Ability to identify issues and propose and implement practical solutions quickly in the face of ambiguity and uncertainty
Client counseling experience required, with employment litigation experience preferred
Benefits
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
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