Embedded Software Engineer – Energy Management

Job Description

Internship, Embedded System Software Engineer, Energy Engineering (Fall 2026) | Tesla

The Tone:
This is an internship at Tesla, located in Palo Alto, CA. Tesla is at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions, and this role contributes specifically to the Energy division, which focuses on energy management and control applications. As an Embedded System Software Engineer Intern, you will be part of a small team developing critical low-level software that enables new hardware and ensures the reliable operation of Tesla’s energy products. Your contributions will directly impact the success of projects central to the team’s mission.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Palo Alto, CA
• Pay: $20–$50 hourly
• Team: Small team responsible for energy management and control applications
• Mission: Develop and debug low-level embedded software for critical energy management and control systems.
• Tech Stack: C, Embedded Linux, u-boot, coreboot, SELinux, TLS, verified boot, trusted execution environments, Buildroot, Yocto, Linux from Scratch, WiFi, ZigBee, mesh networking, cellular networks, Go, Python, shell scripting, make

What You’ll Actually Do
• Software Delivery: Deliver high-quality system-level software for various hardware components.
• Integration: Package and integrate various software components into the build system.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Closely work with teams across the company, including Hardware, Applications, QA, Validation, and Manufacturing.
• Test Strategy: Collaborate with validation teams to develop comprehensive test strategies and plans.
• Hardware Enablement: Develop drivers, perform board bring-up, and enable new hardware functionality on Embedded Linux.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• Experience: Experience with low-level software such as drivers, porting kernels to new hardware, firmware, boot loaders, and general bring-up and debug on the boundaries of hardware and software.
• Skills: Strong C knowledge and excellent debugging skills.
• Bonus: Experience with firmware development and debugging (e.g., u-boot or coreboot); Familiarity with security features (e.g., SELinux, TLS, verified boot, trusted execution environments); Background in real-time and low-latency software development; Familiarity with Linux build environments (e.g., Buildroot, Yocto, Linux from Scratch); Experience with communication standards and technologies (e.g., WiFi, ZigBee, mesh networking, cellular networks); Comfort with Go, Python, shell scripting, and make.