Engineering Design Manager Internships
Engineering design manager internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience, mentorship from working engineering design managers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across Manufacturing, with Tesla, Hendrickson, and Precision CastParts among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 10+ Engineering Design Manager Internships
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.
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.
Industrial Energy Enclosure Engineering: Our charter is to design robust and reliable electronics enclosures to enable the successful deployment and operation of Tesla’s Utility scale storage and Supercharging products.
Thermal Design Team: The Tesla Energy thermal design brings battery, charging, and renewable technologies to the world to facilitate a renewable energy ecosystem and redefine the way we all will use energy in the future. As part of the Thermal Design Team, you will design and package the thermal systems that make Tesla Energy products world class. The role requires collaboration with the architecture team, adjacent design teams, manufacturing, and service, and requires the ability to apply engineering fundamentals to design thermal assemblies that are at the core of Tesla’s success.
The Residential Energy Hardware Engineering Team: Our team’s job is to ignore the status quo, challenge rules where appropriate, and implement fundamentals-only engineering to make the absolute best products possible to provide energy storage, EV charging, and solar integration to the home. Our mission is to get the residential electrical infrastructure ready for the tumultuous future ahead, deliver value in our products which make people happy, and fight climate change while we’re at it.
Service Engineering: This team is responsible for the engineering and project execution of solar and storage projects, as well as the overall health and performance of all Energy Products operating in the field. The team includes engineering expertise from project design to power systems analyses, project managers and construction estimators, data analysts and data infrastructure engineers, and product engineers with a variety of electrical and mechanical engineering backgrounds. This team sits at the center of business development, Tesla technology, and the deployment of Energy Products. As a member of our team, you will help to shape the success of our Energy business globally. You must have a genuine passion for enabling successful products and projects that will fundamentally change the world’s energy infrastructure and must want to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Location: Palo Alto, CA
What You'll Do
- Full product design responsibility, from concept through production launch and ramp
- 3D design of complex parts and assemblies + FEA
- Advancing product performance while driving down cost and complexity
- Developing new technologies, supported with early process development
- Relentless improvement of existing products
- Hands-on prototyping
- Specification definition (dimensional, functional, performance, manufacturing)
- Meticulous release of 2D part and assembly drawings
- Owning basic testing and analysis; supporting advanced testing and analysis
- Root causing test failures and production problems
- Collaboration with other teams inside Tesla (manufacturing, testing, NPI, supply chain)
- Travel to support production launch and ramp (supplier visits, on-site at Tesla factories)
What You'll Bring
- Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
- Strong Engineering fundamentals in heat transfer, fluids, mechanics, and electronics
- Basic understanding of material science of components used in mechanical design (metals, insulators, plastics, connectors, gaskets)
- Desire to own a lot and work hard - we have small teams and fast timelines
- Knowledge of GD&T, finite element analysis and design for reliability concepts
- Experience with CATIA V5 or V6
- Basic understanding of electrical design fundamentals
- Demonstrated ability or ability to learn to create products: CAD design to FEA to hand on prototyping
- A detail-oriented personality with solid documentation and reporting skills
- Experience with student Formula Vehicle, Solar Car, Hyperloop a plus
- Direct machine shop skills a plus
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.
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.
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.
Industrial Energy Enclosure Engineering: Our charter is to design robust and reliable electronics enclosures to enable the successful deployment and operation of Tesla’s Utility scale storage and Supercharging products.
Thermal Design Team: The Tesla Energy thermal design brings battery, charging, and renewable technologies to the world to facilitate a renewable energy ecosystem and redefine the way we all will use energy in the future. As part of the Thermal Design Team, you will design and package the thermal systems that make Tesla Energy products world class. The role requires collaboration with the architecture team, adjacent design teams, manufacturing, and service, and requires the ability to apply engineering fundamentals to design thermal assemblies that are at the core of Tesla’s success.
The Residential Energy Hardware Engineering Team: Our team’s job is to ignore the status quo, challenge rules where appropriate, and implement fundamentals-only engineering to make the absolute best products possible to provide energy storage, EV charging, and solar integration to the home. Our mission is to get the residential electrical infrastructure ready for the tumultuous future ahead, deliver value in our products which make people happy, and fight climate change while we’re at it.
Service Engineering: This team is responsible for the engineering and project execution of solar and storage projects, as well as the overall health and performance of all Energy Products operating in the field. The team includes engineering expertise from project design to power systems analyses, project managers and construction estimators, data analysts and data infrastructure engineers, and product engineers with a variety of electrical and mechanical engineering backgrounds. This team sits at the center of business development, Tesla technology, and the deployment of Energy Products. As a member of our team, you will help to shape the success of our Energy business globally. You must have a genuine passion for enabling successful products and projects that will fundamentally change the world’s energy infrastructure and must want to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Location: Palo Alto, CA
What You'll Do
- Full product design responsibility, from concept through production launch and ramp
- 3D design of complex parts and assemblies + FEA
- Advancing product performance while driving down cost and complexity
- Developing new technologies, supported with early process development
- Relentless improvement of existing products
- Hands-on prototyping
- Specification definition (dimensional, functional, performance, manufacturing)
- Meticulous release of 2D part and assembly drawings
- Owning basic testing and analysis; supporting advanced testing and analysis
- Root causing test failures and production problems
- Collaboration with other teams inside Tesla (manufacturing, testing, NPI, supply chain)
- Travel to support production launch and ramp (supplier visits, on-site at Tesla factories)
What You'll Bring
- Currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
- Strong Engineering fundamentals in heat transfer, fluids, mechanics, and electronics
- Basic understanding of material science of components used in mechanical design (metals, insulators, plastics, connectors, gaskets)
- Desire to own a lot and work hard - we have small teams and fast timelines
- Knowledge of GD&T, finite element analysis and design for reliability concepts
- Experience with CATIA V5 or V6
- Basic understanding of electrical design fundamentals
- Demonstrated ability or ability to learn to create products: CAD design to FEA to hand on prototyping
- A detail-oriented personality with solid documentation and reporting skills
- Experience with student Formula Vehicle, Solar Car, Hyperloop a plus
- Direct machine shop skills a plus
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.
Engineering Design Manager Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
Tips for Your Engineering Design Manager Internship Search
Apply in fall for the following summer
Large employers open summer engineering design manager internship applications the preceding fall and close them months before the program starts. Smaller companies and co-ops post closer to their start dates, so check listings throughout the year and set up alerts so you catch each new wave as it opens.
Build a portfolio before you apply
Without a long work history, your projects are the proof. Document two or three complete engineering design manager projects showing your process, the tools you used, CAD or design files, and the outcome. A linked portfolio gives recruiters something to assess and sets you apart from candidates who only list coursework on a resume.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Apply directly to companies running smaller cohorts alongside your campus activity to reach a wider pool of opportunities.
Practice your technical screen before the first application
Engineering design manager intern interviews typically include a technical screen covering design principles, systems thinking, or a case-based design challenge. Practice your answers out loud and walk through your reasoning step by step, since interviewers weigh how you approach a problem as much as the final answer you reach.
Target structured internship programs at larger companies
Many large engineering organizations run cohort-based or rotational internship programs built to train people new to the field. These programs recruit early, fill fast, and offer structured mentorship you won't find in ad hoc hiring. Identify the ones that match your background and submit your application in the first recruiting wave.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 100% of the engineering design manager internships listed here. Decide what you can commit to before you start reviewing openings, then filter by location and work type so you're not sorting through roles you can't take.
Engineering Design Manager Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an engineering design manager internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A design portfolio, CAD files, or documented project case studies give recruiters something concrete to assess. Apply directly to companies posting openings and attend campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for candidates they meet in person.
Can an engineering design manager internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it for engineering design manager interns is performance on real deliverables, available headcount on the team, and how early the employer runs its return-offer process. Position yourself by treating every project as a full-time audition without counting on an offer at the end.
When should I apply for engineering design manager internships?
Earlier than most candidates expect. Large employers recruit summer interns the preceding fall, which means applications open months before the program starts. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to their actual start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly means you won't miss a cycle that closed before you started looking.
Are engineering design manager internships paid?
Most professional engineering design manager internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location. Where an employer discloses pay, the listing will show it, so you can compare opportunities as you apply.
What should an engineering design manager internship resume include?
Lead with two or three complete, documented projects rather than work history. For engineering design manager candidates, that means linking to a design portfolio, CAD files, or published case studies, and naming the tools and software used in each project. Add relevant coursework, keep the resume to one page, and put your most substantial project at the top.
Are there remote engineering design manager internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 0% of the engineering design manager 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 engineering design manager 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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