New

Firmware Engineer, AI Hardware

Tesla Motors, Inc.
128,000 - 282,000 USD
paid holidays, flex time, 401(k)
United States, California, Palo Alto
Jun 05, 2026
What to Expect Tesla's AI Hardware team designs custom silicon and datacenter systems that power Full Self-Driving, Optimus, and some of the largest AI training clusters in the world. Every chip and every server needs firmware to go from first power-on to production at scale. We are looking for a Platform Firmware Engineer to own the boot and firmware stack -- BIOS/UEFI, bootloaders, embedded firmware, and Linux bring-up across custom SoCs, microcontrollers, and datacenter servers. You will bring up proto hardware, build proof-of-concept firmware to validate new platform designs, and carry them through to production. What You'll Do Develop firmware for x86/ARM CPUs, custom SoCs, BMCs, and microcontrollers Develop boot stack -- BIOS/UEFI, bootloaders (U-Boot, coreboot), and Linux kernel bring-up Implement power sequencing, thermal management, and system monitoring firmware Write low-level drivers for I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, and high-speed interconnects Bring up proto hardware and debug across firmware, hardware, and software boundaries Build diagnostic and validation tools for datacenter environments Collaborate with silicon, hardware, and platform teams on firmware requirements What You'll Bring Degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience 3+ years in embedded systems or firmware development C/C++ programming for bare-metal, FreeRTOS, and embedded Linux environments Experience with BIOS/UEFI, bootloaders (U-Boot, linuxboot), or platform initialization firmware Linux kernel fundamentals -- device tree, driver model, boot process Hands-on hardware debug -- JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers Familiarity with microcontrollers, SoCs, and hardware peripherals (I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, GPIO) Ability to read schematics, datasheets, and hardware specifications Preferred Qualifications: Linux kernel driver development Custom SoC or ASIC firmware bringup and BSP development BMC firmware development (OpenBMC, IPMI, Redfish) Experience with datacenter server platforms or compute accelerators Understanding of secure boot, firmware signing, and platform security Python scripting for test automation and firmware tooling Yocto or Buildroot for embedded image builds Compensation and Benefits 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 Expected Compensation $128,000 - $282,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits Pay 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.