About the role#
The Body Controls Integration team manages the design and development of mechatronic systems that shape how users interact with vehicles. This includes systems like doors, trunks, windows, seats, lighting, mirrors, and wipers. You will work on translating high-level vehicle behaviors into hardware and software solutions. This role requires collaboration across electrical, mechanical, firmware, and manufacturing teams to own system functionality from initial concept through production.
What you'll do#
- Support system integration tasks from concept to production.
- Define system requirements, vehicle behaviors, and performance specifications that are measurable and testable.
- Contribute to architectural decisions regarding communication protocols, control strategies, and hardware-software partitioning.
- Collaborate with hardware teams to define interfaces, instrumentation points, and validation strategies.
- Assist in the calibration and tuning of electromechanical systems.
- Support firmware and validation teams to ensure testability is built into designs.
- Manage alignment across firmware, reliability, homologation, service, and product security stakeholders.
What you'll need#
- Currently pursuing a degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
- Graduation date between May 2027 and May 2028.
- Strong foundation in hardware and software fundamentals with the ability to bridge electrical schematics and firmware architecture.
- Experience with embedded communication protocols.
- Understanding of motor control, sensing systems, and electromechanical system behavior.
- Ability to read electrical schematics and use lab equipment like oscilloscopes, power supplies, and multimeters for troubleshooting.
- Familiarity with Embedded C.
- Experience defining requirements from high-level vehicle behaviors.
- Ability to design simple automation tools, test scripts, or parsers.
- Experience with safety-critical systems, functional safety concepts, or automotive validation processes is preferred.
Location & details#
- Location: Palo Alto, California.
- Term: Winter 2027 and Spring 2027.
- Work Modality: On-site, 40 hours per week.
- This is a paid, full-time internship.
About Tesla
Tesla produces electric vehicles, battery storage systems, and solar energy products. Founded in 2003, the company operates six vertically integrated factories across three continents. It is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and employs over 10,000 people. The organization designs, manufactures, sells, and services its products internally.
How to get in at Tesla
Applying early at Tesla provides a distinct advantage because recruiters review candidates before the applicant pool becomes unmanageable. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you apply among the first and get seen before the pile grows. Reaching out to the right people often yields better results than submitting to a general queue. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company roles so you can contact them directly to ask about the position or a referral, which materially improves your response rates.



