Internship, Product Security Engineer, Vehicle Software (Fall 2026)

What to Expect

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 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.

About the Team

We are looking for a highly motivated student with a strong interest in security to work on Tesla products and future R&D projects. Other car companies have talked for years about a future of "connected cars." At Tesla, we make it happen. We regularly send over-the-air software updates to our fleet, seamlessly delivering new features and improvements to our customers. Our mobile applications allow customers to interact with their cars via real-time, low-latency two-way communication. We also build tools for our internal sales, delivery, and service teams. Today we remotely identify potential vehicle issues before a customer does—and often fix problems remotely too. To this end information and product security is of the utmost importance.

As an intern on the team, you will be expected to analyze system services, operating systems, networks and applications from a security perspective. You will be involved in discovering security issues and recommending patches. You will participate in security audits, risk analysis, vulnerability testing and security reviews.

What You'll Do

Help ensure Tesla's products are implemented to a high security standard

Work with teams to implement, identify and advance security at Tesla

Conduct vulnerability tests and risk assessments in source code and on Linux devices

Work with Tesla teams and external suppliers to drive remediation

Help to design a secure connected vehicle architecture

Audit embedded code to identify security vulnerabilities

Work with vendors, partners, and other Tesla teams to drive remediation

Conduct risk assessments to prioritize threats and compare mitigation strategies

Assist design teams in developing secure automotive systems

This is not a Red Team role and you will not do pentesting

What You'll Bring

Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science or a related field of study with a graduation date between December 2026 - December 2027

Strong investigative and analytical problem-solving skills

Experience with one or more of the following is required: CTF, secure architecture design, writing secure source code

Deep understanding of fuzzing, static analysis, sandboxing, and defending against common vulnerabilities

Technical experience with one or more of the following: Go, Rust, C, C++, x86, ARM, CAN, cryptography, exploit development

Proficiency in software development, auditing code and features

Automotive & hardware experience a plus but not required

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

$38.00 - $53.00/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.

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.

Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.