Validation Engineering Intern – Steering Software

Job Description

Internship, Software Validation Engineer, Steering, Chassis Systems (Fall 2026) | Tesla

The Tone:
This is an internship at Tesla, located on-site. Tesla is a leading company in the design and manufacturing of electric vehicles, energy storage, and related products, consistently pushing the boundaries of technology. This role, within the Steering Software team, is crucial for validating new steering features and functions to ensure the delivery of high-quality software to customers and to support new product development. The team focuses on building robust and reliable embedded systems for steering controls, utilizing cutting-edge software development tools and practices.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, on-site
• Pay: $42.07 – $58.89/hour
• Team: Steering Software team, responsible for steering controls ranging from low-level embedded drivers to high-level application logic.
• Mission: To develop and execute test cases, bring-up and maintain Hardware in the Loop (HIL) testers, and validate new steering features and functions to ensure high-quality software releases.
• Tech Stack: Python, C, Rust, Shell, Bash, Git, Jenkins, Docker, SCons

What You’ll Actually Do
• Develop and execute validation test plans for steering and chassis software features.
• Analyze test data and document results to identify issues and improvement opportunities.
• Support hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and vehicle-level testing activities.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to reproduce and troubleshoot software issues.
• Maintain test documentation and contribute to process improvements.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Currently pursuing a degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field of study, with an anticipated graduation date between December 2026 and December 2027. This internship is for students actively enrolled in an academic program, seeking a minimum of 12 weeks of full-time, on-site work.
• Experience: Demonstrated knowledge of version control systems, specifically Git, and an understanding of continuous integration principles. Experience with bring-up and maintenance of Hardware in the Loop (HIL) testers is also relevant to this role.
• Skills: Excellent proficiency in either Python or C for software development and scripting. The ability to solve ambiguous and challenging problems in embedded software is key.
• Bonus: Prior experience with the Rust programming language is a plus. Additional scripting skills in common languages such as Shell or Bash are beneficial. Knowledge and practical experience with automation and build tools, including Jenkins, Docker, or SCons, are advantageous. The ability to read and review electronic circuit schematics would also be a valuable asset.