Demo

Platform Firmware Engineer, AI Data Center

Tesla Motors, Inc.
Palo Alto, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 8/21/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 10/20/2026
What to Expect

Tesla's AI Hardware team builds the custom silicon and datacenter infrastructure behind Full Self-Driving, Optimus, and some of the largest AI training clusters in the world. Every GPU, every custom accelerator, and every server in these clusters depends on PCIe as the critical high-speed interconnect linking compute, memory, networking, and storage. As we push toward PCIe Gen 5 and Gen 6-and scale the platforms that will help close the gap to terawatt-class AI compute for Optimus, Cybercab, and future orbital systems-the firmware and driver stack must deliver maximum bandwidth, minimal latency, and rock-solid reliability at massive scale.

You will own the firmware and Linux driver stack for these AI compute platforms. You will develop, optimize, and validate PCIe subsystems across custom SoCs, GPUs, and dense datacenter hardware so our interconnect infrastructure keeps pace with next-generation AI workloads.


What You'll Do

  • Develop and optimize PCIe Gen 5/Gen 6 firmware and Linux kernel drivers for Tesla's AI compute platforms
  • Implement PCIe enumeration, link training, and configuration for custom SoCs and accelerator cards
  • Bring up proto hardware and develop proof-of-concept firmware to validate new platform designs before production
  • Build and run platform-level validation-PCIe performance, thermal, power, and stress testing across the full compute stack under real AI training and inference workloads
  • Debug PCIe link failures, signal integrity issues, and protocol errors using analyzers and silicon debug tools
  • Develop Linux device drivers for custom hardware-DMA, interrupts, MMIO, and peer-to-peer transfers
  • Drive root-cause analysis of PCIe failures across firmware, kernel, and hardware boundaries


What You'll Bring

  • Degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience
  • 4 years in firmware or low-level software development with apreferredfocus on PCIe
  • Deep knowledge of PCIe Gen 4/5/6 architecture-link training, transaction layer, and configuration space
  • Linux kernel driver development experience-device drivers, DMA, interrupts
  • Platform validation and performance testing experience covering PCIe, thermal, power, and system-level stress
  • Strong C programming skills and familiarity with kernel debug tools (ftrace, perf, crash)
  • Hands-on hardware debug experience-protocol analyzers, JTAG, oscilloscopes
  • Solid understanding of system architecture fundamentals-IOMMU, NUMA, memory hierarchies


Compensation and Benefits
Benefits

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

  • Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
  • Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
  • Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
  • Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
  • Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
  • 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
  • Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly 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
  • Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
  • Tesla Babies program
  • Commuter benefits
  • Employee discounts and perks program
    Expected Compensation
    $160,000 - $414,000/annual salary cash and stock awards 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.


    Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

     

    Salary : $160,000 - $414,000

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