What To Expect
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. 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.
What You'll Do
Qualified applicants may be reviewed by one or more of the following teams:
Autonomy Systems Foundations
As a C++ Software Engineer Intern, you will have the opportunity to apply your technical skills to a variety of system components & foundational code targeting higher performance of Self-Driving and Humanoid robot. The nature of the role means that the code you will write, debug, and maintain will almost always connect with a variety of other components. You will be building robust code foundations for the autonomy teams to write their applications on top of and evangelize best software practices for the better of Self-Driving and Humanoid robot. Depending on needs and interests/skills, you might work on code related to our high-frame rate Camera & Vision stack, write GPU kernels, design and implement low memory footprint image compression libraries, implement high-performance inter-process communication data buffers, improve/extend our image & raw data logging/telemetry code, or make our evaluation/replay software more stable and performant. In addition, you'll write, debug and maintain robust C/C++ software to the entire Autopilot and Humanoid robot software stack.
Compiler, AI Inference
As a Compiler Engineer Intern, you will be responsible for the internal working of the AI inference stack and compiler running neural networks in millions of Tesla vehicles and Optimus. You will collaborate closely with the AI Engineers and Hardware Engineers to understand the full inference stack and design the compiler to extract the maximum performance out of our hardware. The inference stack development is purpose-driven: deployment and analysis of production models inform the team's direction, and the team's work immediately impacts performance and the ability to deploy more and more complex models. With a cutting-edge co-designed MLIR compiler and runtime architecture, and full control of the hardware, the compiler has access to traditionally unavailable features, that can be leveraged via novel compilation approaches to generate higher performance models. You will bring strong C++ programing skills, and experience with quantization, MLIR, CUDA, or LLMs.
Integration, AI Platforms
As an Integration Engineer Intern, you will play a crucial role in advancing our AI platform's integration with vehicles and humanoid robotics. You'll be at the forefront of developing and implementing features that leverage the power of Tesla AI, ensuring seamless functionality across various platforms. Your responsibilities will encompass software development, integration, optimization, and collaboration across multiple functions to achieve our goals. Interns on the team will write, debug, and maintain robust C/C++ software for the Autopilot and humanoid robot software stack. They will also levarage experience with embedded systems software design concepts, and familiarity with Computer Vision, Machine Learning, or related concepts.
Optimus Foundations
As a C++ Robotics Software Engineer Intern, you will work across multiple functions to ensure seamless integration between various subsystems of the robots including the main computer, sensors, motor controllers, telemetry systems, etc. to enable functionality on existing and new robotics platforms. Your work can cover everything from tuning the robots locomotion stack to building the infrastructure that will scale to the entire robot fleet. You will bring experience with embedded systems software design concepts, communication standars such as CAN, ethercat, and ethernet, and practical experience programming in C++.
What You'll Bring
Pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or relevant field of study with a graduation date between December 2025 -May 2026Strong proficiency in C++ Previous internship or research experience strongly preferred Experience or familiarity with one or more of the following is required: Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Embedded Systems or related software conceptsProficient developing software on a Linux host, for embedded Linux targets (cross-compilation, etc.) a plus
Benefits
Compensation and 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
$100,000 - $150,000/annual salary + 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.
, Tesla
