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Biography
Vice President of Engineering, Generac
Matthew Johnson is a dynamic engineering leader whose career spans military service, public safety, and cutting-edge clean energy innovation. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former police officer, Johnson earned his B.S. in computer science from Oregon State University, where he also contributed to the Open Source Lab and served as a corporate relations intern.
Now Vice President of Engineering at Generac, Johnson leads a 130-person team developing software and firmware for next-generation energy products, including home battery systems, solar microinverters, and smart thermostats. His work enables homeowners to manage energy production, storage, and consumption through seamless, integrated platforms.
“We’re building the only system that delivers a complete home energy management experience - from solar to storage to smart thermostats,” he said.
At Tesla, he led teams that designed and implemented next-generation massive-scale battery cell intelligent manufacturing software. In another role, he contributed to Supercharger 3 firmware development.
“Oregon State gave me the low-level systems training that allowed me to dive into firmware and hardware from day one,” he said. “That foundation shaped my entire career.”
Johnson remains engaged with Oregon State through participation in alumni panels, keynote addresses, recruiting efforts, and service on the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Industry Advisory Board.