Which famous inventor was Tesla's employer after he arrived in the United States?

Thomas Edison was Tesla's employer after Tesla arrived in the United States. Tesla reached New York in 1884 and soon began working for the Edison Machine Works.

Before emigrating, Tesla had gained experience with electrical equipment and had worked for Continental Edison in Paris. That background helped him obtain a recommendation to Edison in New York. Tesla was assigned demanding technical work, including improving electrical machinery and helping troubleshoot generators and motors.

The relationship did not last long. Tesla later claimed that Edison had promised him a substantial bonus for redesigning generators, but that the promise was not honored; historians debate aspects of the story. Tesla left Edison's company in 1885 and soon pursued his own AC inventions.

The two men are often presented as lifelong personal enemies, but their rivalry became especially significant after Tesla joined forces with George Westinghouse. Edison supported direct current, while Tesla and Westinghouse promoted alternating current for large-scale power distribution.