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Jobs · Engineering · California

Platform Firmware Engineer, AI Data Center

Tesla · Palo Alto, CA · 1 wk ago
On-siteEngineering$160k–$414k/yrFull-time

About the role

Tesla’s AI Hardware team builds the custom silicon and datacenter infrastructure behind Full Self-Driving, Optimus, and some of the largest AI training clusters in the world. Every GPU, every custom accelerator, and every server in these clusters depends on PCIe as the critical high-speed interconnect linking compute, memory, networking, and storage. As we push toward PCIe Gen 5 and Gen 6—and scale the platforms that will help close the gap to terawatt-class AI compute for Optimus, Cybercab, and future orbital systems—the firmware and driver stack must deliver maximum bandwidth, minimal latency, and rock-solid reliability at massive scale. You will own the firmware and Linux driver stack for these AI compute platforms.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and optimize PCIe Gen 5/Gen 6 firmware and Linux kernel drivers for Tesla’s AI compute platforms
  • Implement PCIe enumeration, link training, and configuration for custom SoCs and accelerator cards
  • Bring up proto hardware and develop proof-of-concept firmware to validate new platform designs before production
  • Build and run platform-level validation—PCIe performance, thermal, power, and stress testing across the full compute stack under real AI training and inference workloads
  • Debug PCIe link failures, signal integrity issues, and protocol errors using analyzers and silicon debug tools
  • Develop Linux device drivers for custom hardware—DMA, interrupts, MMIO, and peer-to-peer transfers
  • Drive root-cause analysis of PCIe failures across firmware, kernel, and hardware boundaries

Requirements

  • Degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience
  • 4+ years in firmware or low-level software development with a preferred focus on PCIe
  • Deep knowledge of PCIe Gen 4/5/6 architecture—link training, transaction layer, and configuration space
  • Linux kernel driver development experience—device drivers, DMA, interrupts
  • Platform validation and performance testing experience covering PCIe, thermal, power, and system-level stress
  • Strong C programming skills and familiarity with kernel debug tools (ftrace, perf, crash)
  • Hands-on hardware debug experience—protocol analyzers, JTAG, oscilloscopes
  • Solid understanding of system architecture fundamentals—IOMMU, NUMA, memory hierarchies

Benefits

  • Medical plans 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: 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

Pay

Expected compensation: $160,000 - $414,000/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.

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