Mechanical Engineer, Electro-Mechanical (Starlink)

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.

MECHANICAL ENGINEER, ELECTRO-MECHANICAL (STARLINK)

At SpaceX we’re leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and provides fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential global impact and are looking for best-in-class engineers to help maximize Starlink’s utility for communities and businesses around the globe.

SpaceX Gateways are responsible for delivering internet from the ground to the satellites – they must be cost effective, capable of high performance in all weather conditions, and reliable over long periods of time. A critical component of the Gateway antenna is the TWT amplifier, which this role is for. The TWTA team is advancing state of the art RF vacuum electronics, building hardware an order of magnitude faster than traditional industry, for an order of magnitude less cost. This role will take full ownership over their hardware: urgently troubleshooting issues, performing hands-on testing to inform development or root cause investigations, implementing design or manufacturing upgrades to improve rate and reliability.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design the factory and processes to enable rapid, reliable, and low-cost manufacturing of state of the art vacuum technology
• Work with partner teams to develop novel manufacturing procedures
• Manage new product introduction and develop production processes for TWTA assemblies
• Work with manufacturers and suppliers to implement process improvements to improve reliability
• Collaborate with design teams and provide design feedback to improve manufacturability, cost and reliability
• Perform environmental and performance testing on hardware to validate analysis and demonstrate compliance to design criteria
• Demonstrate extreme ownership of product outcomes at every stage of development and production 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related engineering/STEM discipline
• 1+ years of experience designing, building, testing, or troubleshooting hardware via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Demonstrated full-cycle ownership of a hardware project from concept to implementation
• Exhibit a diverse technical knowledge of materials and their processing, with experience in high temperature processing (braze)
• Understanding of fundamental principals in materials science and solid mechanics 
• Self-motivated with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willing to work extended hours and/or weekends for mission critical deadlines

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
Level 1: $100,000.00 - $135,000.00
Level 2: $115,000.00 - $165,000.00

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees in Washington State accrue paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law. Company shuttles are offered to employees for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be 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 reach out to [email protected].