Tesla looking to fill 350 internship positions, holding UNR expo

Think you or a student you know has the skills to hack it at Tesla Motors?

Promising students could get a fast track to a position with the electric car company, which is partnering with the University of Nevada, Reno to hold a Summer Job and Internship Expo this month on campus.

The program is one way Tesla keeps its pipeline of skilled workers flowing by working with academic institutions across the country, said Khobi Brooklyn, Tesla global communications director.

"We have a standard university internship program that we do at many universities to continue to find great talent," Brooklyn said via e-mail.

The event kicks off with a general information session at UNR from 6 to 8 p.m that's open to all students on Feb. 17. The session will provide students an opportunity to learn about the culture of Tesla and what it's like to work at the company.

The expo itself runs the next day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on campus. Tesla might offer interviews on the spot, so the university is advising students to "dress to impress." A team of recruiters as well as a staff polymer scientist from Tesla will be on hand at the event.

Tesla first approached the university about the expo in December just a few months after picking Northern Nevada as the site for its gigafactory in a hotly contested competition. This is Tesla's first recruiting visit to UNR and competition is expected to be fierce once again, not just among local students but applicants from around the country as well. Tesla is looking to fill 350 internships this summer from applicants nationwide, said Joe Bozsik, internship and career support coordinator for UNR's College of Engineering.

"They're looking at three major areas — mechanical, chemical and computer science engineering," Bozsik said. "They're looking to develop a talent pipeline that could potentially be trained now in the Bay Area but also relocated to Reno once the gigafactory is up and running."

A stint with Tesla would provide invaluable experience for students, allowing them to apply the skills they've developed in the classroom to a real world environment, Bozsik said. It could also open the doors to a permanent job with the company. Both the College of Engineering and UNR's Nevada Career Studio are seeing a lot of interest from students about the event.

"I expect Tesla's first recruiting visit to be a popular event on campus, as it is the first time recruiters will be in Reno connecting with our students," said Elizabeth Loun, internship and employer relations coordinator of the Nevada Career Studio at UNR. "We hope this visit will be a step toward building a lasting pipeline of Nevada student talent to fill future positions when the gigafactory opens locally."

The fact that Northern Nevada was picked as the location for Tesla's gigafactory should help local students interested in an internship with the company, Bozsik said. Construction is progressing at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center for the $5 billion lithium-ion battery plant, which has posted an estimated $53.1 million in costs through January for its foundation, steel structures and other work to date. Boszik cited the gigafactory as a key reason why Tesla approached the university about doing an expo for the first time.

"With the gigafactory being located here, they want to make sure they look into our institution as a source of talent," Bozsik said.

Bozsik added that it's common for companies looking to expand or relocate into Northern Nevada to approach the university about talent procurement, research and collaboration opportunities. The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, for example, frequently brings in representatives from such companies to talk to the university, he said.

The anticipation gets jacked up higher, however, when a company with the name recognition of Tesla comes in.

"We're just excited that Tesla's going to be here." Bozsik said. "I know a lot of our students are as well."

That name recognition is also helpful in attracting outside talent to the region, said Mike Kazmierski, president and CEO of EDAWN. The gigafactory, for example, should prove to be a great recruiting tool for the area, especially when it's operational and bringing in interns from outside of the area as well.

"It's a fantastic way to introduce young new talent to our area, which is something we're always trying to attract," Kazmierski said. "Tesla is a hot name with millennials and the more people we can expose to this area, the better."

TESLA, UNR INTERNSHIP EXPO

Tesla and the University of Nevada, Reno will hold their first Summer Job and Internship Expo on campus this month. A general information session for the entire student body will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 17 at the Davidson Math and Science Center. The internship expo will take place the next day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at ballrooms inside The Joe. Details: nvcareerstudio@unr.edu