Internship, Modeling & Architecture Engineer, Energy Engineering (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 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.

The Tesla Energy residential architecture and modeling team is looking for an intern to help us bring battery and solar technology to home customers and the grid. Your work will help build a renewable energy ecosystem and evolve everyday people's relationships to energy as data centers, grid congestion, and affordability concerns shape the moment. As part of the Modeling & Architecture team, your work will help define Tesla's strategy to meet those goals by leveraging your physics fundamentals, simulation tools, and systems thinking. Our team is small, committed, fast-moving, and believes that a diverse team of motivated individuals can accomplish almost anything. If this sounds like you, Tesla might be the place to make your mark!

Location: Palo Alto, CA

• Build physics-based electrical, thermal, and battery models for residential energy storage products to support engineering design, business operation, and product development decisions
• Analyze customer fleet data to inform our understanding of battery degradation, customer usage, and to establish product requirements
• Validate model performance in collaboration with power electronics, cell engineering, and system integration teams
• Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
• Strong first-principles thinking and engineering fundamentals, particularly in EE/ME disciplines
• School or project experience building a system model focused on efficiency, cost, performance, and/or design trade-offs
• Demonstrated hands-on hardware building experience and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written, speaking, and visual communication skills for discussing complex technical topics, proposing organizational direction, and facilitating technical brainstorming
• Experience with Simulink modeling is a plus
• Coursework in power electronics and battery technology is a plus
• Strong ability to interpret simulation results and data analysis is a plus

Benefits

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

Expected Compensation

$20.00 - $50.00 + 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.