UX Design Internship - Design Studio (Winter/Spring 2027)

Overview

This internship position at Tesla is anticipated to commence in January 2027 and last through the Spring term, approximately until May 2027 or beyond if available. Candidates should commit to at least 12 weeks of full-time, on-site work, amounting to 40 hours per week. The program is designed exclusively for students actively enrolled in academic programs; those who have graduated and are seeking post-graduation employment should pursue full-time roles instead.

International students utilizing CPT for work authorization must consult their institutions about their eligibility to work full-time on-site, as many may be restricted to part-time during academic terms.

About the Internship Program

Tesla's Internship Recruiting Team focuses on identifying and nurturing emerging talents. The year-round program offers students opportunities for technical, professional, and personal growth by engaging with managers, mentors, and teams on mission-critical projects, providing a comprehensive experience of Tesla's working environment.

Team and Role

The UX Design Intern will contribute to creating impactful digital user experiences across web and mobile platforms for Tesla's electric vehicles and energy products. This role emphasizes innovation in product experiences that assist customers in finding suitable vehicles, charging solutions, and energy products as well as designing internal tools used by Tesla employees.

Responsibilities include research, design innovation, prototyping, testing, and developing responsive digital interfaces that shape the future of sustainable technologies. The intern will collaborate with product managers, engineers, content managers, and global teams to design user-centric experiences that are simple, minimalistic, and industry-leading.

Key Responsibilities

• Focus on user-centered design approaches for digital platforms.
• Create and leverage user flows and UI elements for cohesive visual designs.
• Conduct UX research to develop design strategies and guide the product’s conceptual and implementation phases.
• Innovate and design solutions catering to diverse customer needs and backgrounds.
• Measure design effectiveness continuously and iterate to enhance user experience.
• Collaborate closely with designers, engineers, and product teams in a cooperative environment.
• Regularly present design work to stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Advocate for and maintain consistency with Tesla’s UX design standards and guidelines.

Qualifications and Skills

• Pursuing a degree in Graphic Design, UI/UX, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline.
• Portfolio demonstrating strong visual design, user experience work, UI proficiency, and compelling user-centered storytelling.
• Excellent skills in visual design, UI, and complex interaction design.
• Proficiency with design tools including Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.
• Customer-focused mindset supported by design research experience to extract consumer insights.
• Strong written and verbal communication capabilities.
• Self-driven, capable of independent work, yet open and collaborative during critiques.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure iterative design environment with minimal supervision.

Benefits

• Access to medical plans with options that may have no payroll deductions.
• Support for family building, including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy assistance.
• Dental and vision insurance with optical and orthodontic coverage options; some may have zero payroll cost.
• Company contributions to Health Savings Accounts linked to High Deductible Medical Plans.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care costs.
• Financial benefits such as 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and others.
• Company-funded basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, and short-term disability insurance.
• Access to employee assistance programs.
• Paid sick leave, vacation time, flexible time for salaried positions, and holidays.
• Backup childcare and parenting support resources.
• Optional voluntary benefits including critical illness, accident insurance, hospital indemnity, legal services, theft protection, and pet insurance.
• Commuter benefits along with employee discounts and perks.

Compensation

Hourly pay ranges from $20 to $50 depending on individual qualifications, skills, experience, and location. Additional components of the total compensation package may be included based on the offered position and will be detailed upon offer.

Additional Information

Location for this role is Fremont, California. The internship requires full-time, on-site presence with an expectation of 40 hours per week. This opportunity is only open to students currently enrolled in academic programs and is not suitable for recent graduates seeking full-time employment.