Nikolai Lemak

About Nikolai Lemak

I’m a Staff Industrial Engineer at Tesla, focused on building high-performance manufacturing systems that scale. I operate at the intersection of engineering, operations, and leadership—turning complex, ambiguous problems into clear, executable solutions.My approach is grounded in first principles and ownership. I believe the best systems are simple, repeatable, and built around how people actually work—not how we assume they should. I spend my time deeply understanding processes, identifying constraints, and designing solutions that improve flow, reduce friction, and enable teams to perform at a high level.I’m particularly strong in:Translating data into practical decisionsDesigning processes and layouts that balance efficiency, safety, and scalabilityDeveloping teams and raising the bar on executionDriving alignment across engineering, production, and support functionsI value speed, clarity, and accountability. I’m comfortable operating in fast-moving environments where priorities shift and constraints are real—and I take pride in bringing structure and momentum where it’s needed most.At my core, I’m motivated by building things that work—systems, teams, and processes that deliver consistently and improve over time.

Experience

1. Staff Industrial Engineer

   Tesla

   Sep 2025 — Present · NV, US

   Own manufacturing performance for critical segments of high-volume battery production, driving systemic improvements in throughput, labor efficiency, and operational scalability- Architect and execute end-to-end production optimization strategies—eliminating constraints, redesigning workflows, and enabling step-change increases in line capacity- Translate complex operational data into decisive actions, leveraging time standards and modeling to drive disciplined, high-confidence decisions on staffing, layout, and process design- Lead cross-functional alignment across engineering, production, and EHS to resolve competing constraints and deliver balanced, production-ready solutions at speed- Design and standardize high-performance workstations and processes that reduce variability, improve operator effectiveness, and sustain output under increasing demand- Develop and scale industrial engineering capability by mentoring technicians, instilling rigorous data practices, and building a culture of ownership and continuous improvement- Drive labor and cost efficiency initiatives that deliver significant annualized savings through elimination of non-value-added work, improved line balance, and optimized resource deployment- Establish repeatable systems and frameworks that enable rapid scaling of production without proportional increases in cost or complexity

Education

• University of California, Davis

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Aerospace Science and Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Double Major

  2007 — 2012