Internship, Thermal Event Modeling Engineer, Energy Engineering (Winter/Spring 2026)
About this internship
Tesla is hiring an on-site Thermal Event Modeling Engineer Intern (Energy Engineering) in Palo Alto, CA for Winter/Spring 2026. In this role, you’ll likely support modeling of thermal and combustion-related events, including fire modeling, using core engineering principles. The position is open to candidates pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering, or a related field, and pays $20–$50 per hour.
Qualifications
Required
- Experience modeling combustion events including fire modeling
- Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering, or related field
- Strong fundamentals in combustion, heat transfer, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
Nice to have
- Hands-on experience building, running, and interpreting combustion or fire modeling simulations for engineering decisions.
- Coursework or project work that demonstrates strong fundamentals in heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and combustion.
- Ability to clearly document modeling assumptions, inputs, and results for technical reviews.
- Comfort working on-site in Palo Alto and collaborating with engineers across disciplines to iterate on models.
- Experience comparing model outputs to experimental data and refining models based on discrepancies.
How to stand out (TUN tip)
When you apply, tailor your resume to highlight one or two projects where you modeled combustion or fire behavior and explain your specific role, assumptions, and results. Be ready to discuss how you validated your model (or what you would do to validate it) using data, sensitivity checks, or comparison to known cases.