Systems Engineer Jobs in Palo Alto, CA
Systems Engineer jobs in Palo Alto are concentrated along the Stanford Research Park corridor, downtown California Avenue, and the Midtown district, with demand running strongest in semiconductors, defense technology, and enterprise software. Employers actively hiring include Tesla, Rivian, and Ford Motor Company. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Consider before submitting an application:
This position is expected to start January 2027 and continue through the entire Winter/Spring term (i.e through April/May 2026) or into Summer 2027 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.
Tesla Energy Grid Solutions team is looking for a highly motivated individual who is excited about solving real-life power system issues around renewables integration. As an intern in this position, you will have an opportunity to build RMS/EMT power systems model for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and perform system studies.
Location: Palo Alto, CA
What You'll Do
-
Position is focused on power systems stability modeling and analysis
- The intern is expected to demonstrate a solid theoretical background on EMT and dynamic modeling of power systems, renewable energy resources, and converter-interfaced devices
- The intern should have very strong and hands-on experience using any positive sequence tools like (PSSE/DIgSILENT/PSLF) and EMT tools ( PSCAD and EMTP) for dynamics/transient simulations
- The intern will focus mostly on modeling solar PV and battery energy storage systems in any of these software utilizing Python interfaces, running simulations, and analyzing the impact of these resources on stability of grids and microgrids
What You'll Bring
-
Currently pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics with a focus on Power and Energy Systems, or a related field
-
Practical experience using Python for simulation automation
-
Must be self-managed and committed to working in a fast-paced environment
- Prior practical experience in conducting utility transmission interconnection studies for renewable and energy storage projects is a plus
- Prior practical experience with protection coordination, cable ampacity, transformer energization, and grounding studied is a plus
- Prior practical experience with ETAP and SKM software is a plus
- Prior experience with PSSE User Written Model is a plus
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
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 January 2027 and continue through the entire Winter/Spring term (i.e through April/May 2026) or into Summer 2027 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.
Tesla Energy Grid Solutions team is looking for a highly motivated individual who is excited about solving real-life power system issues around renewables integration. As an intern in this position, you will have an opportunity to build RMS/EMT power systems model for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and perform system studies.
Location: Palo Alto, CA
What You'll Do
-
Position is focused on power systems stability modeling and analysis
- The intern is expected to demonstrate a solid theoretical background on EMT and dynamic modeling of power systems, renewable energy resources, and converter-interfaced devices
- The intern should have very strong and hands-on experience using any positive sequence tools like (PSSE/DIgSILENT/PSLF) and EMT tools ( PSCAD and EMTP) for dynamics/transient simulations
- The intern will focus mostly on modeling solar PV and battery energy storage systems in any of these software utilizing Python interfaces, running simulations, and analyzing the impact of these resources on stability of grids and microgrids
What You'll Bring
-
Currently pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics with a focus on Power and Energy Systems, or a related field
-
Practical experience using Python for simulation automation
-
Must be self-managed and committed to working in a fast-paced environment
- Prior practical experience in conducting utility transmission interconnection studies for renewable and energy storage projects is a plus
- Prior practical experience with protection coordination, cable ampacity, transformer energization, and grounding studied is a plus
- Prior practical experience with ETAP and SKM software is a plus
- Prior experience with PSSE User Written Model is a plus
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
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.
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Find Systems Engineer JobsSystems Engineer Job Market in Palo Alto
Who's Hiring
- Tesla382
- Rivian109
- Ford Motor Company82
- Pivotal27
- Palantir Technologies27
Systems Engineer Jobs in Palo Alto: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a systems engineer job in Palo Alto?
The most direct path is targeting the semiconductor, defense technology, and enterprise software employers clustered in Stanford Research Park and along Page Mill Road. Candidates who stand out in Palo Alto typically bring systems integration or hardware-software co-design experience, familiarity with model-based systems engineering tools, and a portfolio that reflects work on complex, regulated products. Networking through Stanford-adjacent meetups and local IEEE chapters also opens doors that online applications alone do not.
Which companies hire systems engineers in Palo Alto?
Employers hiring systems engineers in Palo Alto right now include Tesla, Rivian, and Ford Motor Company, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Palo Alto's employer mix leans heavily toward mature technology companies, defense contractors, and well-funded deep-tech startups, many of which have long-standing engineering campuses in or just outside the city.
Are there remote systems engineer jobs in Palo Alto?
Yes, though availability depends heavily on the role. Systems engineering work that involves lab environments, hardware integration, or classified facilities is almost always on-site, while requirements analysis, architecture modeling, and documentation tasks are more commonly remote-eligible. About 80% of systems engineer openings tied to Palo Alto are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, concentrated mostly in software-defined systems and cloud infrastructure roles rather than hardware-intensive positions.
How can I get a systems engineer job in Palo Alto with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point in Palo Alto is an associate systems engineer or systems analyst role at one of the mid-size defense or semiconductor firms along the Page Mill Road corridor, which tend to hire from nearby engineering programs and offer structured rotations. Internship pipelines through Stanford and Santa Clara University feed many of these openings. Building hands-on experience with MATLAB, SysML, or requirements management tools before applying meaningfully strengthens a junior candidate's profile for Palo Alto employers.
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