Embedded Engineer, Actuators, Chassis Systems

About the role

Embedded Engineer, Actuators, Chassis Systems | Tesla (Vehicle Software)

Location: PALO ALTO, California | Req ID: 266752 | Job Type: Full-time

What to Expect

Help Build the Physical Foundation of Autonomy. The Chassis Systems team is looking for an Embedded Software Engineer to develop the actuator control software that turns Full Self-Driving decisions into precise, real-world vehicle motion.

As an Embedded Developer on this team, you will write the high-quality, safety-critical software that commands the actuators controlling longitudinal, lateral, and vertical vehicle dynamics—steering, braking, propulsion, and suspension. These are the systems that physically execute the path planned by Tesla’s autonomy stack, delivering the smooth, confident, and safe motion required for unsupervised FSD.

You will develop efficient, robust, and ISO-compliant embedded code that works seamlessly across multiple vehicle platforms and follows first-principles engineering. You will integrate various sensors and motor controls while realizing advanced safety mechanisms directly on embedded targets, and you will drive key design decisions on vehicle electrical architecture, microcontroller selection, software architecture, and PCB design.

Your work ensures the lowest-latency, highest-reliability actuation layer so the vehicle can respond instantly and accurately to autonomy commands in every scenario. Join an industry-defining software team whose contributions are essential to making autonomous vehicles a reality—the intelligence of FSD is only as good as the control systems that bring it to life.

Come build the safest and most performant vehicle dynamics and actuation software in the world.

What You'll Do

• Develop high-quality, safety-critical software for the RTOS, sensor and motor actuation drivers
• Perform hands-on hardware bring-up, board-level debugging, and code optimization
• Perform bench and PCB-in-the-loop testing for verification of developed software
• Make performance and optimization trade-offs to meet product requirements
• Design appropriate abstractions to allow code reuse across different vehicle platforms
• Specify vehicle sensor, actuator, and computational performance requirements

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or the equivalent in experience with evidence of exceptional ability
• Proficiency in C
• Familiarity with MISRA C and Python are a plus
• Hands-on experience with microcontroller peripherals such as ADCs, CAN, GPIOs, PWM, and SPI
• Experience working with electrical schematics and understanding circuit behavior
• Experience working with sensors and digital signal processing
• Experience working with Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS)
• Experience working with PID controllers and other control loops is a plus
• Knowledge of build systems (SCons, Bazel, Buck) are a plus

Benefits

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly 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
• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
• Tesla Babies program
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program
• Earned Wage Access: Real-time pay access paid daily, subject to eligibility and schedule (applicable for below Sr. Managers levels)

Expected Compensation$120,000 - $396,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefitsPay 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.