Internship, Materials Engineering (Summer 2026)

What To Expect
Consider before submitting an application:

This position is expected to start May 2026 and continue through summer term (ending approximately August 2026 or later, if available). 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.

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 provide an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team’s success.

Multiple Locations Possible: Austin, TX; Buffalo, NY; Fremont, CA; Lathrop, CA; Sparks, NV

What You'll Do
Qualified applicants may be reviewed by one or more of the following teams: 

Additive Engineering, Die Shop 

The die shop team is seeking an Additive Engineer intern. You will work with other engineers and technicians in support of the hands-on operation of Additive Manufacturing (AM) machines and post-processing. You will closely collaborate with tool design engineers to develop and optimize parts to leverage additive manufacturing technology. This candidate will work to characterize fabricated parts to understand defects and mechanical properties such as Charpy, Tensile test, and metallography. They will monitor, troubleshoot and correct issues associated with process or equipment. Experience in Catia, NX, Magics, 3DXperts, NTop preferred

Manufacturing Engineering, Coatings 

The Coatings team is seeking a Manufacturing Engineering Intern. You will work with other engineers in support of the design and develop technically complex processes for finishing/coating our products; which includes process development, specification and validation, establishing and optimization of critical process parameters, design for manufacturing, equipment specification and design, as well as installation and commissioning. The candidate will work closely with internal cross-functional teams, external vendors and technology partners on process development from concept to production. Seeking candidates who have experience in developing, executing and interpreting results of Design of Experiments (DOE); familiar with Catia, SolidWorks, Inventor, and/or AutoCAD; and interested working with or developing functional/aesthetic finishing processes, including but not limited to: Automotive Paint and Powder Coating, Thin Film Coating (eg. PVD, CVD, PECVD), Thermal Spray Coating, Dip Coating and Surface Finishing  (eg. Sanding/Graining, Laser Texturing, etc.)

Materials Engineer, Polymers 

The polymers team is seeking a Materials Engineer intern with a solid foundation in polymer chemistry and a deep understanding of the structure-performance relationships of polymers. The ideal candidate should possess knowledge in one or more of the following areas: paint, coatings, adhesives, soft goods, or structural plastics (thermoplastics). Additional proficiency in coding, particularly with Python and Matlab is a plus

Materials Engineer, Metals and Ceramics

The Metals and Ceramics Team is seeking a Materials Engineering intern. We select, quantify, standardize, and design new materials. Our team works closely with design engineers, manufacturing, and production to deliver the right material solution for any metal, ceramic or glass used in our products. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on alloy development, failure analysis, material characterization and process development. This candidate should have a fundamental understanding of mechanical, thermal, electrical, and physical properties of materials and a strong first principles problem solving approach. Additional skills in material characterization and data processing/visualization is a plus

Materials Test

The Materials Test Team is part of the Materials Engineering organization and gets involved with almost all aspects of materials level testing performed at Tesla. Activities encompass a broad spectrum of materials, including metals, polymers, textiles, adhesives, and ceramics. The scope of testing is similarly broad, spanning standardized validation testing, investigative material characterization for manufacturing troubleshooting and creating new tests and characterization capabilities to develop custom materials faster. As an intern on the Materials Test Team, you will take on the role of a Materials Test Engineer and be given ownership of a technical project focused on one of the growing needs within the team. Seeking candidates who are familiar with materials testing and characterization, have experience working with or around hazardous materials, and a willingness to promote health and safety

Fastener Engineering

You will be an integral part of Fastener Engineering organization, pursuing our mission to provide Fasteners, Processes and Joining methods that equip Tesla's Engineers and Manufacturing Facilities with a competitive advantage in their mission to design and produce products that accelerate the world to sustainable energy. You will work closely with our engineering teams in the early phases of design to suggest and implement the best joining methods for systems to control assembly time, cost and process are as lean as possible from the start. Experience selecting fasteners, analyzing, and optimizing bolted joints would be a plus

Mechanical Design Engineer, Castings 

As an intern Mechanical Design Engineer, you will play a crucial role in supporting our castings team. Your responsibilities will include designing, manufacturing, installing, launching, and enhancing high-pressure die casting dies (tooling). You’ll collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather requirements for new die designs and then proceed to specify, engineer, and design the mechanical aspects (Solid Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Heat Transfer) related to high-pressure die casting. Experience with CATIA V5/V6 and SolidWorks would be advantageous

What You'll Bring

Currently pursuing a degree in Materials Science or a related field

Proficient in 3D CAD tools and/or Simulation tools (CATIA, Solidworks, Delmia, and Witness or similar such as TC, Process Designer, Process Simulate would be considered an advantage)

Strong fundamental understanding of mechanical, thermal, electrical, and physical properties of materials 

Benefits
Compensation and 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/hour 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.

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