Internship, Mechanical Design Engineer, Energy Infrastructure Power Electronics, Energy Engineering (Winter/Spring 2027)

Description

Consider before submitting an application: 

This position is expected to start January 2027 and continue through the entire Winter/Spring term (i.e through April/May 2027) or into Summer 2027 if available. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week) and on-site, for most internships.

International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year.

The Internship Recruiting Team is driven by the passion to recognize and develop emerging talent. Our year-round program places the best students in positions where they will grow technically, professionally, and personally through their experience working closely with their Manager, Mentor, and team. We are dedicated to providing an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team’s success. 

Energy, not silicon, is the bottleneck for AI datacenters and robots in the era of sustainable abundance. This team delivers the energy converters those loads depend on — Tesla’s highest-power hardware like Supercharger and Megapack.  

We conceptualize, architecture, design, test and launch the products and technologies required to support the grid.  We own the mechanical stack from die to converter tray: semiconductor package, thermal attach, insulation, heatsink, interconnects, enclosure and more.  We trade performance against cost, build for automated high-volume manufacturing, and land the latest technology to push the industry forward.

You will do real work on Tesla’s highest-power converters. Coursework stops at the model. You will turn ideas into physical parts — test fixtures, product components, prototypes — then simulate, test, and root-cause when they fail. You will work alongside mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermal, and manufacturing engineers, learning how to optimize hardware in the real world, not only on a screen.

First principles are the bar. The pace is fast. The resources are at your fingertips: world-class labs, equipment, simulation tools, and engineers who already ship this hardware at scale.  You will leave each day a stronger engineer.

Location: Palo Alto, CA

Responsibilities

• CAD and modeling of individual mechanical components: plastics, sheet metal, heatsinks, insulation, connectors, and fasteners
• Create 2D drawing packages using GD&T and write manufacturing instructions
• Mechanical analysis and simulation including thermal CFD & structural FEA
• Solve complex packaging challenges that require high-voltage insulation, heat extraction, and automated high-volume manufacturing
• Develop engineering test plans and help run them
• Assist in hands-on prototype builds, test-fixture builds, and component fabrication
• Root-cause test failures and hardware issues
• Use AI to automate design work

Requirements

• Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Materials Science, Physics, or related field
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and physics-based first-principles problem solving
• Experience using CAD. CATIA V6 is a strong plus
• Knowledge of GD&T and DFM; Experience Drafting
• Experience in mechanical analysis and simulation including FEA and CFD, with working knowledge of ANSYS, StarCCM, MATLAB, Python, & Cursor
• Experience designing packaging for electronic assemblies
• Basic understanding of material science for mechanical design: metals, insulators, plastics, connectors, gaskets, thermal interface materials, and potting
• Hands-on building and prototyping skills
• Experience using AI for design tasks including task automation and skills & plugins authoring
• Strong organization, written, and verbal communication skills

Compensation and Benefits

Benefits

As a full-time Tesla Intern, you will be eligible for:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans. Both have an option with a $0 payroll contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Account) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Medical Plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Company Paid Basic Life, AD&D, and short-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions), and Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program

Expected Compensation

$20.00 - $50.00 + benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.