Internship, Software Validation Engineer, Factory Firmware (Fall 2026)

What to Expect

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 Factory Firmware Team (FFT) is seeking a Software Validation Engineering Intern in Fremont, CA. This is a hybrid position requiring both system-level automation & validation with a focus on integrating vehicle firmware into manufacturing environments. The primary responsibility of this role is to oversee and offline vehicle testing to ensure the quality of change control (firmware, hardware, etc.) by leveraging our validation tools, analyzing data trends, collaborating with R&D engineers to provide feedback, and working with Validation teams to enhance automation pipelines. Additionally, you will execute regression testing at the component, subsystem, and vehicle levels to validate changes before they are implemented in manufacturing. The scope of this role includes software development, hands-on design of HIL and SIL systems, attention to detail, and ensuring safe and quality firmware to support manufacturing requirements.

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.

What You'll Do

Design, develop, and maintain automated testing framework and tools to validate embedded systems, including Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing

Create and execute automated regression test suites to ensure thorough and accurate testing of firmware on controllers, interfacing of controllers, and entire vehicle systems

Continuously analyze and improve test coverage, identifying areas for improvement and implementing new features to ensure comprehensive testing

Own the validation release process for customer releases, including test strategy, scoping, test execution, and sign-off

Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Development, QA, and Product Management, to ensure testing aligns with product requirements and supports multiple variants

What You'll Bring

Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field of study with a graduation date between December 2026 – December 2027

Excellent proficiency in Python and good understanding of C/C++

Strong understanding of software development principles, including version control (Git) and continuous integration

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to coordinate with team members and stakeholders

Knowledge and experience with automation and build tools, such as Jenkins and Docker, preferred

Previous experience in the auto-industry or validating embedded systems, preferred

Experience with testing frameworks and tools, such as Pytest or Unittest, preferred

Knowledge of automotive protocols and standards, such as CAN or LIN, preferred

Experience with communication protocols, such as I2C, SPI, preferred

Compensation and Benefits

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

Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.