Software Engineer – Vehicle UI Development and Integration

Job Description

Internship, Software Engineer, Vehicle UI Development (Fall 2026) | Tesla

The Tone:
This is an on-site internship at Tesla, expected to start in August or September 2026 and continue through the fall term, potentially extending into Winter/Spring 2027 if available. Tesla is a company that develops cutting-edge vehicle systems. This role is crucial for building intuitive in-car user interfaces that enable operation of the vehicle’s advanced functionalities. The year-round internship program places students in positions where they will grow technically, professionally, and personally by working closely with a Manager, Mentor, and team on projects critical to their team’s success.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Full-time (40 hours/week)
• Location: In-person, on-site
• Pay: $42.07–$58.89 hourly
• Team: Vehicle UI Development and Integration, collaborating with cross-functional groups including designers and embedded developers.
• Mission: Build elegant and intuitive in-car user interfaces for physical vehicle subsystems using a first principles understanding of mechatronics.
• Tech Stack: C++, C, Qt framework (preferred)

What You’ll Actually Do
• Prototype: Rapidly prototype in-car customer experiences to bring new concepts to life.
• Specify: Design and define the implementation requirements for new customer-facing features.
• Develop: Design, code, and debug user interface components and state machines.
• Integrate: Design and implement robust interfaces to facilitate system-level vehicle behaviors.
• Collaborate: Work with a cross-functional team including Designers, Hardware Engineers, Software Engineers, and Integration Engineers.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Actively enrolled student pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field, with a graduation date between December 2026 and December 2027.
• Experience: Working with complex systems composed of multiple components.
• Skills:
• Proficient in C++ or C.
• Excellent grasp of fundamental computer science concepts and embedded development.
• Understanding of mechatronic fundamentals and the ability to apply them to automotive concepts.
• Comfort with Electrical Engineering fundamentals.
• Ability to analyze data to improve the design and performance of a system.
• Bonus: Experience with Qt framework.