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Tom Rufo has a diverse work experience in the field of engineering and automotive technology. Tom started their career at Ford Motor Company as a Service Technician, specializing in diesel engine systems, light duty trucks, electronic systems, and diagnostics. Tom was also certified as a customer service advisor and warranty administrator and eventually promoted to assistant service manager. After their tenure at Ford, Tom worked as a Technical Instructor at Universal Technical Institute, teaching various courses in automotive technology. Tom then joined MBTA as a Machinist, where they maintained and repaired a fleet of diesel and hybrid electric buses.

Tom subsequently joined Tesla as a Service Technician IV, collaborating with engineering and design teams to improve products and establish best practices for the company. Tom also utilized their training experience in two projects within the training department.

Following their time at Tesla, Tom worked at ClearMotion as a Vehicle Integration Technician, installing their active suspension system in prototype vehicles. Tom acted as a Lead Technician, mentoring other automotive technicians on the team. Later, they became an Engineer, Systems Integration at ClearMotion, where they designed integrations of electro-mechanical systems into vehicles and test fixtures, using Solidworks 3D CAD. Additionally, they were responsible for wiring harness/cable design and managed the database of designs and BOM items.

Most recently, Tom joined RISE Robotics as a Shop Manager, beginning in 2022.

Tom Rufo attended Manchester Community College from 2006 to 2008, where they obtained an Automotive Technology Certificate with a focus on Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology.

In addition to their formal education, Tom has also obtained several certifications. Tom completed the MATLAB Fundamentals for Automotive Applications course offered by MathWorks in March 2020. Tom also completed the Solidworks Essentials course provided by TriMech in April 2018. Furthermore, Tom holds the A.S.E. Advanced Level Master Technician certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), although the exact date of obtaining this certification is not specified.