Internship

Job Description

Consider before submitting an application:   

This position is expected to start around August or September 2025 and continue through the Fall term (ending approximately December 2025) or continuing into Winter/Spring 2026 if available and there is an opportunity to do so. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time 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.

Internship Program at Tesla   

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.    

About the Team

As part of the Tesla Design Team, interns take an active part in live studio projects and work as productive members of the team. Using your design experience and innovative thinking, you will be working with the team to create designs for future cars, in addition to other design tasks (graphic design, product design, etc.) based on your skillset. Our design team prides itself on being multitalented and flexible, and we look for the same in our interns. Interns will be expected to manage their own time and be drivers of their respective projects. All work will be highly confidential in nature and may not be shared or distributed outside of the studio. That said, there is typically scope for the intern to do a personal project on the side for use in degree shows and in their portfolios. The nature and content of these personal projects are decided on a case-to-case basis.

Location : Tesla Design Studio - Hawthorne, CA   

Job Responsibilities

• Develop design proposals for Tesla vehicles, ranging from broad design themes for the entire car to component-level design  
• Create compelling sketches that show a vision for the future of Tesla design  
• Work with the team to guide a design from the sketch phase to concept modeling in Alias or clay, and possibly through to A-class surfacing 
• Work with engineers to come up with design and engineering solutions in CMF  
• Participate in non-vehicle design efforts as necessity and your own skillset dictates  

Job Requirements

• Currently pursuing a degree in Transportation Design, Vehicle Design, Automotive Design or a related field  
• Interest to work on both exterior and interior design
• High level of skill taking 2D sketches to 3D modeling in poly modeling, alias and clay  
• Excellent at creating and maintaining cross-functional working relationships  
• Exceptional visual and oral communication skills  
• Must be self-motivated and able to manage multiple parallel-path projects  
• Technical knowledge of prototyping, manufacturing, and assembly processes as it relates to automobiles is a plus  
• All candidates must submit a portfolio/personal website to be considered for this position