Energy - Compliance & Reliability Engineering Internship (Fall 2021)
Disclaimer: This position is expected to start around August or September 2021 and continue through the entire Fall term (i.e. through December/January) or into early Spring 2022 if available. We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time, for most internships. Please consider before submitting an application.
International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week. Many students will be limited to part-time depending on their academic standing.
Internship Program at Tesla
The University Recruiting Team is driven by the passion to recognize emerging talent. Our year around program places the best students in positions that they will grow both technically and personally through their experience working closely with their Manager, Mentor, and team. We are dedicated to providing an experience that allows for the intern to experience life at Tesla by given them projects that are critical to their team’s success.
Instead of going on coffee runs and making copies, you’ll be seated at the table making critical decisions that will influence not only your team, but the overall achievement of Tesla’s mission.
About the teams
Test Systems Engineering - Mechanical Design
Intern will contribute to the design and development of our electronic systems. R&D Test Systems. Tesla as a whole uses countless HV power systems for R&D, engineering testing, and manufacturing applications. Part of our team’s mission is to repurpose the remarkable power electronics from our Vehicle and Energy platforms into internal products to cut millions in spending, shorten lead times, and increase functionality.
Responsibilities include:
- Mechanical wrenching, basic fabrication, wiring, general electronics, soldering and debugging
- Mechanical Design, Mechanical Assembly Drawings, and Wire Harness Diagram Creation
- Updating/Creating Bill of Materials and Purchasing/Logistics
- Product Lifecycle Management
- Lead improvement initiatives to unlock new functionality, reduce cost, increase quality, ease manufacturing, and increase safety
- Work with design and technician teams to prototype and validate changes
Test Systems Engineering - Software Engineering
Intern will contribute to the development of test software for a variety of R&D testing applications. The R&D Test Systems Engineering team designs and maintains test equipment for numerous engineering teams such as Mechanical Drive Systems, Motor Controls, Tesla Energy, and Firmware Validation to name a few. The fast pace development of Tesla products requires advanced, flexible testing applications in order to allow these products to mature and get to market as soon as possible.
Responsibilities include:
- Develop and maintain software tools for a variety of test systems across Tesla R&D Engineering groups.
- Work with cross functional teams to execute test plans on advanced prototype systems such as powertrain and vehicle dynamometers, high voltage power supplies, and component level testers.
- Identifying places where software tools can be created or update to further benefit the work flow of the test equipment
- Work with design and technician teams to validate hardware changes, providing feedback for future improvements
Compliance and Systems Testing
Intern will support the development of solar and storage products through system level testing for performance and compliance verification. One of the final stages in the development of a product is validating its performance in actual system conditions – as it would be in a home or business. The Compliance and Systems Testing group runs tests at outdoor facilities at the Tesla offices and other dedicated installations. This testing focuses on validating performance as well as meeting industry standard requirements for product certification.
Responsibilities include:
- Hands-on support of solar array testing, addressing electrical, thermal, and functional performance
- Analysis of data collected at test sites
- Electrical schematic drawings, layout drawings, and other visual documentation
- Development of reports using Excel, PowerPoint, or internal web-based platforms
- Task organization and management, involving stakeholders from other departments
- Creating test plans, bills of material, and test documentation templates
- Logistics support for new or changing test arrays
- Research tasks involving product test standards and requirements
Reliability Data Engineering
Intern will utilize large-scale data and help Tesla engineers design and validate the most compelling and reliable products for our customers. The reliability data team collects real-time life data from test and fleet (energy, charging, and vehicle products) and is responsible for retrieving, analyzing and summarizing results to cross-functional teams. The team provides support through the whole design cycle by building software and statistical tools that orchestrate all the reliability physics analyses.
Responsibilities include:
- Apply statistical analysis to test (accelerated life) and field (life) data to inform reliability physics modeling/analyses and associated corrective actions
- Work closely with Reliability and Design engineers to create/interpret/validate numeric models of fielded and in-test products
- Contribute to the automation and standardization of our data pipelines
- Build visualizations to effectively communicate results
- Answer complex questions on fleet usage and behavior to enable proactive monitoring, grow reliability, and minimize field failures
Energy Storage and Charging Power Electronics
Regulatory product compliance is a critical business function and a rapidly expanding sector. Regulatory complexity is increasing and continuously evolving with many local, national and international codes, standards and regulations (CSRs).
Intern will support test and automation activities by designing, building and operating automated test equipment. Intern will test and interface with high power systems and subsystems. Intern will be able to contribute to the product construction reviews, execute product safety and grid interoperability testing, debug, data analysis, documentation, presenting and communicating results to the nationally recognized testing laboratories (NRTL’s).
Responsibilities include:
- Design, build, and utilize test equipment
- Improve test efficiency (Automation, regression testing, interfacing, data processing and report generation)
- Execute product type testing and support construction reviews
- Track adequacy and success of test suites against requirements
- Collaborative work with design engineering and reliability teams
Requirements
- Currently working towards a BS or MS in Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Mechatronics
- Proficiency with Mechanical CAD software (Catia preferred) and design/manipulation of large assemblies
- Strong ability to troubleshoot electrical systems including using lab tools such as DMMs, oscilloscopes
- Advanced knowledge in Python and LabVIEW. Knowledge of Pytest a plus
- Strong knowledge of data structures, architectures and languages such as SQL
- Basic familiarity with bus protocols such as CAN, Modbus, SCPI, Serial communication, etc.
- Mastery of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Self-motivated with a desire to quickly drive solutions from concept to final implementation
- Able to work under pressure, manage competing demands, tight deadlines and ability to problem solve
- Strong propensity to build, assemble, and fix things
- Preferred: Experience with high power electromechanical systems. Understanding of high voltage, electrical principles and reading/writing electrical wiring diagrams