Internship, Embedded Software Engineer, Optimus (Fall 2026)

Consider before submitting an application: This position is expected to start August or September 2026 and continue through fall term (ending approximately December 2026) or continuing into Winter/Spring 2027 if available and there is an opportunity to do so. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week) and on-site, for most internships. Our internship program is for students who are actively enrolled in an academic program. Recent graduates seeking employment after graduation and not returning to school should apply for full-time positions, not internships. International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school on your ability to work 40 hours per week before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week on-site. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year. About the Team: Tesla is on a path to building humanoid robots at scale to automate repetitive and boring tasks. We are looking for an embedded software intern to develop embedded platform drivers and application layer code for various robotics applications on our Optimus platform. In this role, you will develop scalable drivers to interface with an ASIC or bring up a new communication protocol or optimize existing drivers to improve performance or write application-level modules to achieve a specific function on a given subsystem. The robotics firmware team is small, passionate, and fast-moving. Come join a team of deeply knowledgeable engineers that strive to build the most robust and reliable embedded systems using cutting edge software development tools and practices.

Responsibilities

Development of scalable real-time embedded software that implements sensing, control and safety management of the Tesla Bot actuators Bring up new sensors, communication networks, and new PCBA for various robotic applications Develop automated tests to ensure high quality software releases and accurate functionality Be involved in the full life cycle of firmware development from concept through integration, test, and release as our fleet of robot grows Work closely with the hardware and controls team to specify hardware actuation, sensing requirements and influence electronics designs

Requirements

Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related field of study with a graduation date between December 2026 – December 2027 Proficiency in C/C++, familiarity with Python is a plus Experience with reading electrical schematics and understanding circuit behavior Knowledge of microcontroller peripherals such as ADC, PWM, SPI and I2C, ethernet and CAN Experience working with sensors and digital signal processing Experience working with the physical and data link layers of ethernet and/or other communication protocols Experience working with Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS)