Controls Engineer Internships
Controls engineer internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience working alongside working engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Roles in Manufacturing and Food & Beverage are actively recruiting, with Tesla, Dennis, and Dematic among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 13+ Controls Engineer Internships
This position is expected to start August or September 2026 and continue through fall term (ending approximately December 2026) or continuing into Winter/Spring 2027 if available and there is an opportunity to do so. 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.
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 are dedicated to providing 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:
The Torque Path and Chassis Controls team develops and calibrates real-time software for critical vehicle dynamics systems, including traction control, vehicle stability control, braking, and propulsion. The team manages the full software development lifecycle—from concept and simulation to embedded implementation, calibration, and validation—delivering high-performance, safety-critical solutions.
The team integrates advanced autonomous functions such as the Driverless State Machine, Smart Shift, Autopark, and Actually Smart Summon with core propulsion and chassis controls. It also ensures safe and reliable interaction between autonomous safety systems, including Automatic Emergency Braking and Object-Aware Acceleration Limiting, and the vehicle’s torque and braking architecture.
Work is conducted across simulation and embedded environments, with close collaboration across hardware, software, vehicle dynamics, and controls engineering disciplines. The team’s work directly influences vehicle performance, safety, and driving experience.
What You'll Do
- Develop and calibrate traction and stability control software
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define and implement new chassis controls features
- Build and maintain closed-loop simulations for chassis control systems
- Implement chassis controls features in embedded C and simulation environments
- Create tools to evaluate vehicle-level metrics in both simulation and vehicle testing
- Expand technical knowledge across torque path, brake controls, and chassis systems
What You'll Bring
-
Currently pursuing a degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field of study with a graduation date between December 2026 - December 2027
- Experience in C and Python, with demonstrated experience in software development and debugging
- Knowledge of vehicle dynamics and automotive fundamentals
- Experience with control systems development, calibration, or real-time embedded software (e.g., academic projects, FSAE, or prior internships)
- Familiarity with automotive safety standards including MISRA C, HARA, and FMEA
- Hands-on experience with CAN communication protocols and Vector CAN tools (e.g., CANoe, CANalyzer)
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
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.
This position is expected to start August or September 2026 and continue through fall term (ending approximately December 2026) or continuing into Winter/Spring 2027 if available and there is an opportunity to do so. 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.
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 are dedicated to providing 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:
The Torque Path and Chassis Controls team develops and calibrates real-time software for critical vehicle dynamics systems, including traction control, vehicle stability control, braking, and propulsion. The team manages the full software development lifecycle—from concept and simulation to embedded implementation, calibration, and validation—delivering high-performance, safety-critical solutions.
The team integrates advanced autonomous functions such as the Driverless State Machine, Smart Shift, Autopark, and Actually Smart Summon with core propulsion and chassis controls. It also ensures safe and reliable interaction between autonomous safety systems, including Automatic Emergency Braking and Object-Aware Acceleration Limiting, and the vehicle’s torque and braking architecture.
Work is conducted across simulation and embedded environments, with close collaboration across hardware, software, vehicle dynamics, and controls engineering disciplines. The team’s work directly influences vehicle performance, safety, and driving experience.
What You'll Do
- Develop and calibrate traction and stability control software
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define and implement new chassis controls features
- Build and maintain closed-loop simulations for chassis control systems
- Implement chassis controls features in embedded C and simulation environments
- Create tools to evaluate vehicle-level metrics in both simulation and vehicle testing
- Expand technical knowledge across torque path, brake controls, and chassis systems
What You'll Bring
-
Currently pursuing a degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field of study with a graduation date between December 2026 - December 2027
- Experience in C and Python, with demonstrated experience in software development and debugging
- Knowledge of vehicle dynamics and automotive fundamentals
- Experience with control systems development, calibration, or real-time embedded software (e.g., academic projects, FSAE, or prior internships)
- Familiarity with automotive safety standards including MISRA C, HARA, and FMEA
- Hands-on experience with CAN communication protocols and Vector CAN tools (e.g., CANoe, CANalyzer)
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
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.
Controls Engineer Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Food & Beverage
Tips for Your Controls Engineer Internship Search
Apply earlier than you think you need to
Large manufacturers, utilities, and automation firms recruit summer interns the preceding fall, with some cohorts closing before winter break. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so check regularly. Starting your search in September gives you the widest pool of structured opportunities.
Build a portfolio before you send a single application
Hiring teams for controls engineer interns expect limited work history, so documented projects carry more weight than past jobs. Put together two or three projects showing PLC logic, control system design, MATLAB simulations, or CAD schematics, with the tools named and the work visible, a linked repository or PDF portfolio works well.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured programs tied to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Applying directly to companies running smaller cohorts alongside campus activity reaches employers who never visit your campus at all.
Practice your technical screen out loud before you apply
Controls engineer intern interviews commonly include a technical screen covering circuits, control theory, or hands-on problem-solving with tools like MATLAB or a PLC environment. Practice explaining your reasoning aloud as you work through problems, interviewers weigh how you think through a system as much as the final answer.
Target structured rotational and university cohort programs early
Larger industrial and automation companies run formal internship cohorts designed to train people new to controls engineering, cycling interns through different engineering functions. These programs recruit in the fall and fill fast. Identify the ones that match your degree program and apply in the first wave, not after the new year.
Set your work-type filter before you start searching
On-site roles are 90% of the controls engineer internships listed here, since hands-on plant and lab work doesn't transfer to remote setups. Decide what you can commit to before you start sorting listings, then filter by location and work type so you aren't spending time on roles you can't actually take.
Controls Engineer Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a controls engineer internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A portfolio of documented controls or automation projects, even from class, gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Combine direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for candidates they meet in person.
Can a controls engineer internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it is performance on real project work, available headcount on the team, and whether you communicate interest in returning before the offer window closes. Position for a return offer without counting on one.
When should I apply for controls engineer internships?
Earlier than most students expect. Large employers, including major manufacturers and automation firms, recruit summer interns the preceding fall, sometimes opening applications in August or September. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round and it pays to check back regularly.
Are controls engineer internships paid?
Most professional controls engineer internships in the U.S. are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location, and listings show it where the employer discloses it. Unpaid internships exist mainly in nonprofit or research settings and are less common in industrial and manufacturing environments.
What should a controls engineer internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three complete, documented projects that name the tools used, PLC programming environments, SCADA platforms, MATLAB, or CAD software, and link to the work where possible. Add relevant coursework in control systems, circuits, or automation. Keep it to one page.
Are there remote controls engineer internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 10% of the controls engineer internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
Can international students get controls engineer internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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