Tesla
Automotive & MobilityDirect employer career site

Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software

Pay
$140,000 – $312,000 per year
Location
Palo Alto, CA · On-site
Job type
Full-time
Level
Lead / Staff
Listed
28 days ago

Skills & highlights for this role

  • maps and navigation software
  • vehicle software development

About the role

Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software | Tesla (Vehicle Software)

Location: Palo Alto, California | Req ID: 277646 | Job Type: Full-time

What to Expect

Tesla is building the world's best in-car navigation experience and we're looking for motivated Software Engineers that are up to the challenge.

You will implement next generation algorithms on top of large amounts of data from the Tesla fleet. This is a cornerstone on which Navigate on Autopilot and Smart Summon are implemented. In addition, the same data will drive more efficient routing and better turn-by-turn navigation for customers.

The ideal candidate is self-driven, has experience developing high-performance applications and motivated by complex algorithmic problems. Our engineers must bring a principled, data-driven methodology to software development with a passion for improving quality of their products. Flexibility is paramount, as the engineer must learn a wide array of technologies to improve customer experience ranging from route quality and ETA prediction all the way to self-driving capabilities.

What You'll Do

  • Rapidly prototype in-car customer experiences
  • Extract meaningful data from fleet telemetry via automated processes
  • Implement complete features with both client and server footprint
  • Drive your changes end to end from concept to in car drive test
  • Design, code, and debug software on Linux-based embedded platforms and Linux servers
  • Work with a cross-functional team of hardware engineers, application/UI software engineers, QA/Validation, and designers

What You'll Bring

  • Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Electrical Engineering or the equivalent in experience
  • Evidence of exceptional achievement in large-scale algorithmic environments
  • Proficient in one of C++, Python, Golang, Scala
  • Experience writing and shipping customer-facing code
  • High standards for code quality, maintainability, and performance
  • Willingness to learn new technologies in any area of the stack: Vehicle Control, Routing/Guidance Algorithms, Server Infrastructure, UI, Embedded Systems
  • Experience with Maps / GIS / Computational Geometry data is a strong plus
  • Experience in Spark, AWS, Kubernetes, Jenkins is a plus
  • Experience in Machine Learning algorithms is 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$140,000 - $312,000/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.

Read the original posting

From Tesla's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 12, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.

How Rolev.ai helps with this application

Rolev.ai is a job search and application tool for US job seekers. For this Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software role at Tesla, it shows how your resume fits, tailors your resume to the posting, and prepares the application for you to review.

  • See how you fit

    Openings from employer career sites are ranked against your whole resume—and searchable inside Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor via Rolev.ai MCP.

  • Tailor without inventing

    Every change to your resume is checked against your original. New experience goes in only with your yes—zero fabricated claims.

  • Draft the full kit

    Tailored and Full Match resumes, role-specific cover letters, and answers to employer screening questions are prepared in seconds.

  • 1-Click Extension Autofill

    The Chrome extension fills the employer's Greenhouse, Workday, Lever, or Ashby form in 1 click. You review it and press Submit.

Common questions

What is the salary for the Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software role at Tesla?

The Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software posting at Tesla states compensation of $140,000 – $312,000 per year. It is listed as a full-time position. Final pay may depend on location, experience, and interview evaluation on Tesla's official career site.

Where is the Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software job at Tesla located?

This Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software position at Tesla is located in Palo Alto, CA (On-site). Always check Tesla's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.

What qualifications are required for Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software at Tesla?

For the Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software role, Tesla highlights experience with maps and navigation software, vehicle software development. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.

How do I apply for the Staff Software Engineer, Maps & Navigation, Vehicle Software position at Tesla?

This listing links directly to Tesla's application page. You can apply directly on Tesla's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.