SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

SATELLITE PROPULSION ENGINEER, SATELLITE BUS ENGINEERING

The Satellite Propulsion Engineering team is responsible for the development (design, analysis, build, and test) and operation of the most reliable and manufacturable satellite thrusters in the world.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Holistic ownership of Starlink Satellite electric propulsion system through full life cycle including design, validation, production, test and orbit.
• Lead technical reviews including vehicle state machine reviews (software), joint operations reviews (between ground and vehicle teams), and CONOPs reviews as required to establish and mature system design
• Lead resolution of issues encountered with the propulsion system during testing or flight operations
• Provide On-call support for alerts from operational satellites on orbit
• Drive failure investigations in collaboration with software, electrical, and constellation operations engineers
• Enable high launch cadence with unparalleled reliability through automated analysis of test and flight data via coding – expand existing capabilities and develop new algorithms to improve reliability and thoroughness of all engineering processes
• Develop test automation and data review for development, qualification, and production propulsion system testing
• Develop innovative processes to increase testing capability and production rates, while maintaining high rigor of safety and reliability
• Develop methodology for alert and fault recovery automation to reduce manual intervention for issues on orbit
• Implement and maintain the infrastructure necessary to monitor and manage the fleet of propulsion systems on orbit

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in an aerospace, physics, mechanical or other engineering discipline
• 2+ years of professional experience in design, analysis, or testing of complex systems

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in one or a combination of the following: involvement with an outside the classroom project team designing, building and testing electric propulsion components, academic research focused on electric propulsion, or professional experience designing, testing, and analyzing electric propulsion systems.
• 2+ years of operations, automation, DevOps, or site reliability engineering experience
• Proficiency with programming and automation/scripting languages (Python, C++, SQL, Matlab)
• Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with little to no supervision or direction
• Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere
• Experience with developing and deploying tools used for data analysis
• Experience solving complex problems with little to no supervision on schedule as an individual or as a member of an integrated team
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Experience in mission-critical operations where outstanding attention to detail is required to ensure success

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
• Ability to perform job duties that require working in vacuum chambers, including standing, kneeling, crouching, twisting upper body, working in cramped positions in small openings and climbing hand over hand
• Schedule varies depending on site operational needs; flexibility required

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should notify the Human Resources Department at (310) 363-6000.