Internship, Design Quality, Design Studio (Winter/Spring 2027)

Consider before submitting an application:

This position is expected to start around January 2027 and continue through the entire Spring term (ending approximately May 2027 or later, if available). 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 provide an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team's success.

Location: Austin, TX

About the Team

In this role you will develop the skills and learn the process for approving appearance parts for color, appearance quality, and harmony. You will engage with suppliers, giving direction based on the product target and approving/rejecting parts. The Design Quality Team interfaces with Design and Engineering to gain an understanding of design intent and develops product with suppliers as a champion of that.

• Engage with suppliers to provide color and appearance direction based on the product target and approval or rejecting parts
• Review cosmetic parts for color, finish, surface quality and tactile feel
• Conduct vehicle reviews to assess technical perceived and aesthetic quality of interior and exterior components - throughout development stages
• Coordinate with Tesla Product Excellence/Industrialization Teams to support color and appearance harmony reviews
• Manage timing, parts documents (AARs) and the supply base through the supplier portal
• Assist in the development and design of various vehicle engineering parts as well as manufacturing processes
• Troubleshoot prototype parts with Tesla's design and manufacturing to solve appearance issues at source
• Currently pursuing a degree in Vehicle / Industrial Design, Design- focused Engineering or a related field
• Basic to intermediate knowledge of Automotive Color, Materials and Finish Design
• Basic to intermediate knowledge of materials: textiles, leather, PUR, vacuum forming, colorants, paints, plating
• Working knowledge of automotive components
• Proficient in Microsoft Office tools
• Strong communication skills and confidence when giving feedback.
• Exceptional visual and presentation skills
• Understanding of color quality assessment process strongly preferred
• Process/assembly knowledge: injection molding is a plus
• Must meet minimum requirement for Color Blindness and Color Vision Skill Test (test will be administered during interview process