New

Software Engineer, Controls, Optimus

Tesla Motors, Inc.
132,000 - 330,000 USD
paid holidays, flex time, 401(k)
United States, California, Palo Alto
Dec 22, 2025
What to Expect Tesla AI is solving robust embodied intelligence through humanoid robots. As a member of the software team, you will design and implement reliable & efficient control code for bipedal locomotion, object manipulation and state estimation. You will work on improving the robot's behavior in the real world, and reflecting those capabilities in a simulation engine for fastiteration. The code you will write will at term run in thousands of humanoid robots in real world situations and will therefore be held to high quality standards. What You'll Do Develop and tune controllers for actuators using sensor feedback (joint encoders, force/torque sensors) Integrate joint control with higher-level control frameworks Collaborate with hardware and firmware teams to ensure robust and safe joint actuation Validate control performance in simulation and on real robots; support hardware bring-up and calibration Analyze and improve control robustness in the presence of noise, delays, and hardware variability Deliver high-quality code in an embedded environment What You'll Bring Experience writing production-quality C or C++ Practical experience with closed-loop controls system development, modeling, and implementation in an embedded environment Familiarity with control of non-linear systems Solid background in linear systems analysis, stability, and controller design Solid understanding of robotics fundamentals, including geometry, linear algebra, kinematics, dynamics, and mechanics Experience with state estimation through IMU, encoders, force sensors etc. Experience working on bipedal robots or other multi-DOF robotic hardware Experience with humanoids or legged robots preferred 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: Aetna PPO and HSA plans > 2 medical 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 Account) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Aetna 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 Employee Assistance Program Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary 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 $132,000 - $330,000/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.