Internship, Software Engineer, Simulation Platform (Fall 2026)

Consider before submitting an application:

This position is expected to start August or September 2026 and continue through fall term (ending approximately December 2026) or continuing into Winter/Spring 2027 if available and there is an opportunity to do so. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week) and on-site, for most internships. Our internship program is for students who are actively enrolled in an academic program. Recent graduates 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.

Internship Program at Tesla

The Internship Recruiting Team is driven by the passion to recognize and develop emerging talent. Our year-round program places the best students in positions where they will grow technically, professionally, and personally through their experience working closely with their Manager, Mentor, and team. We are dedicated to providing an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team’s success.

About the Team

The Simulation Platform team is a critical component of our vehicle firmware development process, supporting all current and future vehicle programs. Our team is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining simulation tooling that enables efficient and reliable testing and validation of vehicle firmware. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to tackle complex problems in distributed software and contribute to the development of cutting-edge simulation technologies.

• Design and development simulation tooling for vehicle firmware testing and validation
• Design and supervise agentic loops for sim engine performance, cache optimization and more
• Integrate vehicle components into the simulation environment
• Architecture and development of software for big data synchronization, storage and retrieval
• Work closely with the engineering teams, the users of these applications

• Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related field of study with a graduation date between December 2026 – December 2027
• Strong knowledge and experience in Rust, and familiarity with async Rust is nice to have
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment on several different simultaneous projects
• Experience with Linux Operating System internals
• Nice to have Python and embedded C/C++ experience
• Nice to have Kubernetes or Docker containers experience
• Knowledge of version control (Git)
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills

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

• Medical plans > 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 (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions), 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

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.