Internship, Factory Firmware Hardware Design Engineer, Vehicle Firmware(Fall 2025)

Consider before submitting an application:
This position is expected to start around August or September 2025 and continue through the Fall term (ending approximately December 2025) or continuing into Winter/Spring 2026 if available and there is an opportunity to do so. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time and on-site, for most internships. Our internship program is for students who are actively enrolled in an academic program. entry level candidates seeking employment after graduation and not returning to school should apply for full-time positions, not internships.
International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school on your ability to work 40 hours per week before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week on-site. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year.
About the team:
The Factory Firmware Team operates as the eyes and ears of the Firmware organization within the factory and often has last say on the deployment of new firmware to manufacturing - providing valuable insight and feedback to accelerate the development and launch of exciting new hardware and software features. We take the role seriously to ensure our Tesla cars are safe and of good software quality.

Responsibilities

• Specify, design, develop, integrate and maintain robust/complex automated test systems
• Review electrical schematics and design circuitry to emulate in-vehicle signals or physical behaviors
• Design custom PCBAs for test and automation platforms, including component selection, schematic capture, layout, and validation
• Develop low-level firmware or device drivers to interface with custom hardware via protocols such as I2C, SPI, UART, and CAN
• Hands-on bring-up, build and debugging of new circuit boards

Requirements

• Currently pursuing a degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field of study with a graduation date between December 2025 - December 2026
• Strong electrical engineering fundamentals and circuit design experience
• Experience designing and debugging custom PCBs for embedded systems
• Strong understanding of microcontroller architectures (e.g., ARM Cortex-M) and common embedded communication protocols (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN)
• Familiarity with writing device drivers or embedded firmware in C/C++
• Proficiency with Altium or similar schematic software
• Ability to use oscilloscopes, multimeters, and other electrical test instruments to support troubleshooting
• Hands-on technical experience debugging complex systems involving networked microprocessors and software-controlled electrical or electromechanical devices
• Experience with Python or other scripting languages
• Experience with Catia, Solidworks is a plus
• Ability to collaborate and communicate complex technical concepts
• Ability to work independently, efficiently and safely

Compensation and Benefits
Benefits

As a full-time Tesla Intern, you will be eligible for:

• Aetna PPO and HSA plans > 2 medical plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans. Both have an option with a $0 payroll contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Account) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Medical Plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Company Paid Basic Life, AD&D, and short-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick time after 90 days of employment 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
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program
Expected Compensation

$36.06 - $56.13 + benefits
Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.