Mechanical Engineering Intern, Energy Products – Energy Products

Job Description

Internship, Mechanical Design Engineer, Energy Engineering (Fall 2026) | Tesla

The Tone:
This is an internship at Tesla, located in Palo Alto, CA. Tesla is a company committed to building a renewable energy ecosystem by developing utility-scale storage, Supercharging products, and residential energy solutions. This role is crucial for designing robust and reliable electronics enclosures and thermal systems, creating advanced residential energy hardware, and ensuring the successful deployment and operation of Tesla’s Energy products worldwide. You will contribute directly to shaping the future of global energy infrastructure.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Palo Alto, CA
• Pay: $20–$50 hourly
• Team: Mechanical Design within the broader Energy Engineering teams (Industrial Energy Enclosure, Thermal Design, Residential Energy Hardware, Service Engineering)
• Mission: To take full product design responsibility for critical components of Tesla’s Energy products, from concept through production.
• Tech Stack: CATIA V5 or V6, Finite element analysis (FEA), GD&T

What You’ll Actually Do
• Product Lifecycle Ownership: Drive full product design responsibility, from initial concept through production launch and ramp.
• Mechanical Design & Analysis: Execute 3D design of complex parts and assemblies, including detailed finite element analysis.
• Performance Improvement: Advance product performance while simultaneously driving down cost and complexity.
• Prototyping & Testing: Engage in hands-on prototyping, own basic testing and analysis, and support advanced testing.
• Problem Resolution: Identify root causes for test failures and production problems, collaborating with internal teams.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Student currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, with strong engineering fundamentals in heat transfer, fluids, mechanics, and electronics.
• Experience: Demonstrated ability or willingness to learn product creation from CAD design to FEA to hands-on prototyping, and experience with CATIA V5 or V6.
• Skills: Basic understanding of material science of components; Knowledge of GD&T, finite element analysis, and design for reliability concepts; Detail-oriented with solid documentation and reporting skills.
• Bonus: Experience with student Formula Vehicle, Solar Car, Hyperloop projects, or direct machine shop skills.