Software Engineer Internship - Energy Engineering (Fall 2026)

Overview

This internship opportunity is designed for students enrolled in academic programs looking to gain hands-on experience with Tesla's Energy Battery Firmware team. The internship begins around August or September 2026 and lasts through the fall term, ending approximately in December 2026 or potentially extending longer if available. Interns are expected to commit full-time hours (40 hours/week) on-site in Palo Alto, CA, for a minimum duration of 12 weeks.

This program immerses students in critical projects to foster technical, professional, and personal growth. The Energy Battery Firmware team focuses on developing safety-critical embedded software and firmware for battery management and charging systems. Interns will have opportunities to work with low-level firmware in C and Rust, develop validation platform infrastructure, and engage with high-level controls and testing frameworks.

Key Responsibilities

• Create, improve, and troubleshoot real-time embedded software using C, Rust, and C++ within RTOS environments.
• Collaborate directly with hardware teams to initialize new embedded platforms from the ground up.
• Participate in developing tools for system integration and software testing.
• Design and define the behavior and features of embedded subsystems.
• Work cross-functionally with electrical and software engineering groups to ensure product success.
• Analyze and resolve interface interactions essential for product feature implementation.

Candidate Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a degree program related to Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a similar technical field.
• Proficient in programming languages such as C and/or Rust as well as C++.
• Some experience or foundational knowledge in embedded firmware development.
• Strong understanding of core concepts in computer or electrical engineering.
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple responsibilities and challenges effectively.

Benefits

• Access to multiple medical plans including options with no payroll deductions.
• Support programs for family-building, including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy.
• Dental and vision plans with orthodontic coverage, many options available at zero payroll cost.
• Health Savings Account contributions by the company for eligible plans.
• Healthcare and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).
• Participation in 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits.
• Company-paid basic life insurance, AD&D, and short-term disability coverage (subject to waiting period).
• Employee assistance programs and paid vacation, sick leave, flexible time, and holidays.
• Backup childcare and parenting support resources.
• Optional benefits including critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, legal services, and pet insurance.
• Commuter benefits and employee discount programs.

Additional Information

Interns must be able to work full-time on-site. International students utilizing CPT should verify their eligibility to work 40 hours per week with their academic institution prior to applying, as many academic year restrictions limit students to part-time work. This internship targets students actively enrolled during the internship period; recent graduates not returning to school should seek full-time employment roles.

Compensation: The pay range for this role is approximately $20 to $50 per hour plus benefits, with exact salary dependent on factors such as location, skills, and experience.