Energy Engineering Intern - Cost Reduction

Job Description

Consider before submitting an application:

This position is expected to start around January 2027 and continue through the entire Spring term (ending approximately May 2027 or later, 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. Again, please do not apply until you know you can work 40 hours per week. This is required for external applicants. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year. 

The Internship 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 provide an experience that allows for the intern to experience life at Tesla by giving them projects that are critical to their team’s success.

The Tesla Charging team is looking for a driven, motivated, and collaborative intern to join our Cost Reduction team and help accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. As part of this team, you will work across the organization to identify and execute initiatives that minimize the cost of deploying and operating Tesla's global Supercharger network; one of the most critical infrastructure assets in the clean energy transition. 

Our world-class teams operate with a non-conventional philosophy of interdisciplinary collaboration. Each member of the team is expected to challenge and to be challenged, to create, and to innovate. We're tackling the world's most difficult and important problems, and we wouldn't succeed without our shared passion for making the world a better place. 

Job Responsibilities

Operational Cost Optimization (OpEx) 

• Run rate optimization analyses across thousands of Supercharger sites; identifying savings opportunities, benchmarking tariff structures, and translating findings into a scalable global strategy

• Help maximize revenue from government-sponsored fuel credit programs by identifying eligible sites, tracking enrollment status, and quantifying financial impact

• Support analysis of solar and battery storage projects at Supercharger sites; modeling potential bill savings, demand charge reduction, and payback periods to prioritize deployment

• Build and maintain dashboards and automated reporting tools to monitor energy costs, credit program performance, and savings against targets

Capital Cost Optimization (CapEx) 

• Research, identify, and track governmental grant and incentive programs relevant to EV charging infrastructure, including NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure), IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) tax credits, and state-level RFP programs

• Assist in preparing competitive grant applications and RFP responses, coordinating inputs across Engineering, Finance, Policy, and Construction teams

• Develop financial models to quantify the net cost impact of incentive programs on Supercharger site builds and prioritize applications by expected value

• Maintain an internal knowledge base of program requirements, deadlines, and application outcomes to improve future submission quality and speed

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Partner with Finance, Policy, Deployment, and Site Operations teams to gather data, align priorities, and drive initiatives forward

• Present findings and recommendations to senior stakeholders in a clear, data-driven manner

• Identify process improvements and automation opportunities to scale the team's analytical capabilities

Job Requirements

• Currently pursuing a degree in Energy Systems, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Business Analytics, or a related field

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills; comfort working with large datasets to extract actionable insights

• Proficiency in Excel for financial modeling; experience with Python and SQL for data analysis and automation

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to distill complex analysis into clear recommendations for both technical and non-technical audiences

• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously in a fast-paced environment

• Interest in energy, clean technology, EV infrastructure, or sustainability is a strong plus

• Prior experience or coursework in utility rate analysis, energy economics, project finance, or government grants/policy is a plus but not required