New

Sr. Algorithm Engineer, Energy Optimization

Tesla Motors, Inc.
140,000 - 312,000 USD
paid holidays, flex time, 401(k)
United States, California, Palo Alto
Aug 19, 2026
What to Expect Opticaster's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy by optimizing how batteries are charged and discharged to maximize value for customers and the grid. Our advanced algorithms determine the best times to store and use energy, considering electricity prices, solar generation, and grid conditions. These optimizations power Tesla's energy products, including Megapacks, Powerwalls, Virtual Power Plants, and microgrids. With a global fleet of over 500,000 residential systems, our software operates at scale, requiring robust and efficient solutions. Opticaster also plays a key role in supporting grid stability through programs like demand response and by integrating with Autobidder to actively participate in energy markets. Opticaster is a customer-facing product: the software you build directly shapes how hundreds of thousands of homes and energy sites store, use, and export energy every day. As a Software Engineer on Opticaster, you will build the production systems and internal tooling that let algorithm changes ship safely to a global energy fleet. Part of the role is improving developer and research workflows with AI tools-evaluation harnesses, failure analysis, experiment tooling, and automation around simulation, diagnostics, and release. You will also work on the software that surrounds Opticaster in production: Python services, firmware/Site Manager integration points, simulation/benchmarking platforms, cloud data pipelines, CI/CD, and observability. You will partner closely with algorithm engineers to develop, evaluate, integrate, and operate Opticaster at scale. What You'll Do Develop and implement sophisticated optimization algorithms for energy storage and distribution Develop and improve time-series forecasting and ML components (e.g. load and solar forecasting) Translate product and energy-domain requirements into algorithmic changes that are correct, explainable, and robust under real fleet conditions Use simulation, benchmarking, and offline evaluation to quantify impact, catch regressions, and guide algorithm design decisions before release Write production-quality Python: implement algorithm changes in the Opticaster codebase, add tests, and partner on safe rollout and firmware/release coordination as needed Diagnose field and simulation failures; distinguish model/algorithm issues from data, interface, or integration problems Collaborate closely with software, firmware, and product partners to integrate algorithmic features into Tesla's residential energy ecosystem Provide technical insight that helps guide product decisions for Opticaster's customer-facing energy features What You'll Bring Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience Strong proficiency in Python and Linux Experience building and shipping production software and/or internal developer tooling-services, pipelines, evaluation systems, or automation with real users Experience using AI tools to build high-leverage engineering tooling and workflows Experience with cloud and data technologies such as AWS, Spark, Airflow/Argo (or equivalent orchestration), Docker/Kubernetes, and CI/CD Experience owning complex production software through design, implementation, debugging, and operation-where correctness, performance, and maintainability matter Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across algorithm, firmware, and product partners Experience with another production language (e.g. C++, Go, Rust, Java, or C#) preferred Experience with production systems that have real integration, reliability, or performance constraints preferred Experience with energy systems, on-device or firmware-adjacent environments, or machine learning 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: 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 $140,000 - $312,000/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.