MISSION MANAGER, SPACE LASERS (STARSHIELD)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

SpaceX is looking to hire a Mission Manager to work with our brilliant and passionate space lasers team. In this role, you will own the design, testing, integration and on-orbit operations for the Starshield Mini Space Laser. These Lasers are designed for seamless integration with satellite manufacturers’ spacecraft to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity on orbit, enabling real-time tasking, continuous command-and-control, and immediate data delivery to terrestrial points of presence.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Apply expertise to laser communication system development, including design, analysis, and validation.
• Act as the primary point of contact for space lasers definition, requirements, and development.
• Act as the representative of Starshield space lasers to the US Government, and as the responsible owner within SpaceX.
• Participate in verification testing, including environmental qualification, performance characterization, reliability testing, and fault injection testing.
• Represent the laser communications system in program-level, cross-disciplinary trades and issue resolution.
• Define requirements for high-data-rate laser communication systems in challenging environmental conditions.
• Interface with engineering, manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure final designs can be produced in accordance with overall project goals.
• Represent laser communications systems for reliability and risk discussions with internal reliability teams, management, customers, and vendors.
• Ensure on-time deliverables, risk mitigation, and mission success.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering or science discipline.
• 5+ years of hands-on laboratory or professional work experience in laser technology, electrical or mechanical systems, or testing.
• Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree or PhD in physics or an engineering or STEM discipline.
• Experience in designing, testing and implementing circuit boards or mechanical components.
• Experience in a computer programming language (e.g. C++, LabVIEW, and/or Python).
• Knowledge of digital communication systems including spread spectrum, forward error correction, and modulation types such as QPSK, QAM, PCM/FM, and PAM.
• Experience with mixed-signal circuits, processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, SERDES, DRAM interfaces (DDR4), I2C, SPI, operational amplifiers, analog to digital and digital to analog converters, and power supply components.
• Hands-on experience in optical design or system design, integration, and test of laser communication systems.
• Knowledge of and experience in lasers, photodiodes, fiber optics, optics testing/troubleshooting techniques, and signal integrity principles.
• Knowledge of and experience in free-space optical principles, optical component testing/troubleshooting techniques, precision metrology techniques, manufacturing and integration processes.
• Experience leading development of commercial communications products.
• Experience with hardware development for high-reliability applications.
• Ability to assess risk and make design and development decisions without all available data.
• Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere.
• Experience with infrared system alignment and characterization.
• Competence with Python scripting and a Linux operating system environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must pass DoD-level background checks for entry into various government facilities.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:    
Mission Manager/: $130,000.00 - $180,000.00/per year    
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. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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, stock options, 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

MISSION INTEGRATION ENGINEER, NETWORK AND INFRASTRUCTURE (STARSHIELD)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As a member of our Mission Management team, you will help tackle new technical problems from initial requirements verification through rapid prototyping, integrated test, and operational deployment. You’ll contribute to the performance and execution of satellite programs while specifically focusing on the ground systems and compute infrastructure that drive, manage, and provide user insight into those programs. You will work to shape customer requirements that maximally leverage SpaceX’s capabilities, to drive design choices and work with internal and external stakeholders to drive execution. This work will cover a number of technical disciplines including the planning and deployment of traditional and dedicated compute infrastructure, carrier-grade networking and the secure implementation and execution of each of these discipline areas. Our ideal candidate is a self-starter and is hungry to do work that matters.  

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own the architecture design, development, and deployment of critical infrastructure for government satellite programs and secure compute projects.
• Work as the primary customer interface for coordinating and deploying ground infrastructure.
• Manage and expand network interconnections, network co-location sites, points of presence (POPs), and satellite ground stations.
• Manage network infrastructure and deployments to classified data centers.
• Collaborate with customers, and internal engineering resources to improve the Starshield network design.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or other engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of networking experience.
• Professional Layer-1 experience (e.g. transport, DWDM, optical fiber, circuit troubleshooting, activations, etc.).
• Experience bringing up switches, routers, firewalls and/or servers.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

• Deep understanding of service provider networks including but not limited to:
• Connectivity (Ethernet, IPv4, IPv6 and MPLS)
• Routing (BGP, OSPF, IS-IS)
• Switching and routing
• Internet services (subscriber provisioning, BRAS, DNS, DHCP, NTP)
• Experience with physical troubleshooting of fiber & circuits.
• Familiarity with networking protocols and the OSI Model.
• Experience with hardware deployments in classified environments.
• Demonstrated success with projects across multiple technical and non-technical disciplines.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Active Top Secret or Top Secret SCI clearance preferred. Must be willing to pursue a clearance if not already cleared. Note that an active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions. If so, you will be subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing.
• Must be available to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to support critical milestones or operations shifts.
• Must pass DoD level background checks for entry to various government facilities.
• Willingness to travel (up to 25%).

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:    
    
Pay range:    
Mission Integration Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year. 
Mission Integration Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00/per year.    

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. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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, stock options, 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 & 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. Exempt employees are eligible for 5 days of sick leave per year.

SR. MISSION INTEGRATION ENGINEER (STARSHIELD)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As a member of our Mission Management team, you will serve as a core point of contact for customers from early capabilities studies through successful launch and on-orbit activation. You’ll also support new business proposals from initial requirements negotiation through final handoff and validation.

You will lead and integrate system trades of various launch vehicles, spacecraft, and sensors, analyze a wide variety of solutions to meet mission needs and support the development of operational concepts and interfaces at the mission, segment, system, and sub-system levels. You will be given significant latitude to be creative, conceiving and testing various engineering approaches to determine which is best suited to meet technical and programmatic objectives.

An ideal candidate has a strong technical background in space vehicle design, integration, and verification across the program lifecycle. We are looking for engineers who enjoy solving complex problems, can work effectively in a fast-paced environment, and are passionate about advancing the space industry.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Key technical leader in all phases of development from initial proposal development through successful test, flight, on-orbit commissioning, demonstrations, and mission execution.
• Ensure contract deliverables are completed on-time and per customer expectations, distill customer mission requirements into actionable development criteria, objectives and verification plans.
• Serve as the customer interface at meetings and reviews to develop interface requirements, test plans, operations procedures, design missions, system risks and verify spacecraft flightworthiness.
• Work with all internal and external stakeholders to drive program success. Collaborate with subsystem representatives across team boundaries to consider all necessary trades and ensure end-to-end mission success.
• Support all phases of the program from development, initial proposal, through successful test, flight, and on-orbit commissioning. This will include educating the customer on our designs and methodologies.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience working in the aerospace or space industry.
• 5+ years of technical project management and system-level engineering experience.
• Previous experience working with product design, development, integration, and/or test experience.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• 3+ years of technical project management experience with US government, NASA, or commercial spacecraft entities.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver reliable and expeditious results across multiple parallel priorities.
• Previous spacecraft mission design, development, integration, and/or test experience.
• Positive, “can-do” attitude, self-starter, and ability to work in a high pace dynamic environment.
• Highly detail-oriented, diligent, accountable, and professional with excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Strong penchant for innovation in process improvement and system design.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must pass DoD level background checks for entry into various government facilities.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:

Mission Integration Engineer/Senior: $125,000.00 - $175,000.00/per year

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, stock options, 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

MISSION INTEGRATION ENGINEER, ADVANCED WAVEFORMS (STARSHIELD MISSIONS)

If you are a curious, driven problem-solver who is excited by complex signal environments and cutting-edge technology; uncovering patterns in data, and understanding how electronic systems interact this role is for you.

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with a focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As Mission Integration Engineer, Advanced Waveforms in Starshield Missions, you will lead a cross functional team developing advanced platforms to meet US Government needs. You will own full responsibility for integrating capabilities into Starshield platforms and systems, and will serve as primary point of contact for ongoing feature definition and development of new waveform capabilities.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for the design, development, and integration of advanced systems for various missions. This role requires a deep understanding of SIGINT sensor technologies and Operational EW employment.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for the design, development, and integration of advanced communication systems
• Role requires a deep understanding of SIGINT sensor technologies, data processing, system operation, mission requirements as well as EW capabilities and employment.
• Act as primary point of contact for advanced waveforms feature definition, requirements, and development.
• Act as the representative of Starshield advanced waveforms to the US Government, and as the responsible owner within SpaceX for the US Government’s needs and requirements.
• Drive end-to-end trades, interface definitions, testing, and verification with stakeholders.
• Ensure on-time deliverables, risk mitigation, and mission success

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's in engineering, physics, or science discipline.
• 2+ years in aerospace, space, and/or defense industries.
• Experience with communications payloads, user terminals, or satcom integration.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 3+ years leading integration of hardware/software into government systems.
• 3+ years managing technical teams.
• Knowledge of signals intelligence and EW operational employments.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must pass DoD-level background checks for entry into various government facilities.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:   

Mission Integration Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year.

Mission Integration Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00/per year.     

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. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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, stock options, 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 & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation & will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

MISSION INTEGRATION ENGINEER (STARSHIELD)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As a member of our Mission Management team, you will serve as a core point of contact for customers from early capabilities studies through successful launch and on-orbit activation. You’ll also support new business proposals from initial requirements negotiation through final handoff and validation.

You will lead and integrate system trades of various launch vehicles, spacecraft, and sensors, analyze a wide variety of solutions to meet mission needs and support the development of operational concepts and interfaces at the mission, segment, system, and sub-system levels. You will be given significant latitude to be creative, conceiving and testing various engineering approaches to determine which is best suited to meet technical and programmatic objectives.

An ideal candidate has a strong technical background in space vehicle design, integration, and verification across the program lifecycle. We are looking for engineers who enjoy solving complex problems, can work effectively in a fast-paced environment, and are passionate about advancing the space industry.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Key technical leader in all phases of development from initial proposal development through successful test, flight, on-orbit commissioning, demonstrations, and mission execution.
• Ensure contract deliverables are completed on-time and per customer expectations, distill customer mission requirements into actionable development criteria, objectives and verification plans.
• Serve as the customer interface at meetings and reviews to develop interface requirements, test plans, operations procedures, design missions, system risks and verify spacecraft flightworthiness.
• Work with all internal and external stakeholders to drive program success. Collaborate with subsystem representatives across team boundaries to consider all necessary trades and ensure end-to-end mission success.
• Support all phases of the program from development, initial proposal, through successful test, flight, and on-orbit commissioning. This will include educating the customer on our designs and methodologies.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of experience working in the aerospace or space industry.
• 2+ years of technical project management and system-level engineering experience.
• Previous experience working with product design, development, integration, and/or test experience.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• 3+ years of technical project management experience with US government, NASA, or commercial spacecraft entities.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver reliable and expeditious results across multiple parallel priorities.
• Previous spacecraft mission design, development, integration, and/or test experience.
• Positive, “can-do” attitude, self-starter, and ability to work in a high pace dynamic environment.
• Highly detail-oriented, diligent, accountable, and professional with excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Strong penchant for innovation in process improvement and system design.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must pass DoD level background checks for entry into various government facilities.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:

Mission Integration Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year    
Mission Integration Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00/per year

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, stock options, 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

SR. MANAGER, APPLIED COMPUTING (STARSHIELD)

As a Senior Manager in AI Integration you will own the initiative focused on leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance SpaceX's internal systems, processes, and workflows for Starshield and Special Programs. This role is critical for accelerating the output of existing teams and programs by integrating AI solutions that optimize efficiency, automate complex tasks, and drive innovation in a fast-paced environment. You will serve as a key technical leader, collaborating across departments to identify AI opportunities, develop scalable integrations, and ensure end-to-end success in boosting productivity for mission-critical operations.

An ideal candidate has a strong technical background in AI/ML development and integration, with proven leadership experience across program lifecycles. We are looking for managers who enjoy solving complex problems, can work effectively in a high-paced dynamic environment, and are passionate about advancing the space industry through process improvement and system design.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Key technical leader in all phases of AI integration from initial opportunity identification through successful deployment, testing, optimization, and ongoing maintenance.
• Ensure AI deliverables are completed on-time and exceed internal stakeholder expectations; distill team and program needs into actionable AI development criteria, objectives, and validation plans.
• Serve as the primary interface at meetings and reviews to develop AI integration requirements, test plans, operational procedures, design solutions, mitigate risks, and verify system performance.
• Work with all internal stakeholders to drive program acceleration; collaborate with subsystem representatives across teams, pushing boundaries to consider all necessary trades and ensure end-to-end efficiency gains.
• Lead and integrate AI trades for various internal tools, such as project management platforms, data pipelines, and collaboration systems; analyze a wide variety of solutions to meet productivity needs and support the development of AI-enhanced operational concepts.
• Support all phases of AI initiatives from prototyping through full-scale rollout, including educating teams on AI methodologies and fostering a culture of innovation.
• Mentor and manage a team of engineers, promoting a positive, "can-do" attitude and delivering reliable results across multiple parallel priorities.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams to deeply understand SpaceX processes and innovate solutions in which AI could improve efficiency. Take direct feedback and turn it into improved outcomes.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, or engineering
• 8+ years of experience in the technology, aerospace, or space industry
• 5+ years of technical project management and system-level engineering experience
• 2+ years of experience managing technical teams

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 10+ years of aerospace or high-tech industry experience
• Previous experience working with AI product design, development, integration, and/or test
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver expeditious results across multiple parallel priorities
• Previous experience with AI integrations in tools like Jira, or GitHub
• Strong penchant for innovation in process improvement and AI system design
• Positive, "can-do" attitude, self-starter, and ability to work in a high-pace dynamic environment

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
• An active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions; if so, you will be subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing
• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:    

Sr. Manager, Software Engineering: $210,000.00- $270,000.00/per year.

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, stock options, 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 & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation & will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF, SPECIAL PROGRAMS

This team focuses on engineering and deploying AI capabilities (models, APIs, tools, and integrations). You'll work closely with product, research, infrastructure, and legal/governance teams to make AI and future models maximally useful for missions while upholding safety, transparency, and ethical standards.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, build, and optimize integrations between AI frontier models (e.g., Grok family) and government systems, platforms, and data environments
• Collaborate on custom SDKs, APIs, developer tools, and documentation tailored for government and enterprise developers
• Partner with agency stakeholders to understand requirements, prototype solutions, and iterate rapidly based on real-world feedback
• Ship production-grade code and features with a bias toward speed, simplicity, and measurable impact

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or another STEM discipline; OR 2+ years of professional experience in software development in lieu of a degree

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 1+ years of hands-on software engineering experience building scalable systems, APIs, or AI/ML applications (strong Python proficiency, other languages a plus)
• Experience working with large language models, generative AI, or agentic systems—either in research, production, or applied engineering
• Familiarity with government or public sector technology environments (federal civilian agencies, state/local gov, or regulated industries like healthcare, finance, or infrastructure)
• Strong product sensibility: ability to translate ambiguous stakeholder needs into concrete technical solutions
• Demonstrated ability to write clean, maintainable, high-performance code under tight timelines
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and intellectual curiosity—you thrive on hard, ambiguous challenges
• Excellent communication skills; you can explain complex technical concepts to non-technical partners clearly and concisely
• Prior work on AI safety, governance, red-teaming, or responsible AI deployment
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), or API orchestration
• Background in policy-adjacent technical roles, civic tech, or public-interest technology
• Contributions to open-source AI projects or developer tools

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
• 20% travel may be required to government sites
• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:    
Member of Technical Staff: $150,000.00 - $350,000.00/per year    

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, stock options, 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

MISSION INTEGRATION ENGINEER, MISSION SYSTEMS (STARSHIELD)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As a member of our Mission Management team, you will help tackle new technical problems from initial requirements verification through rapid prototyping, integrated test, and operational deployment. 

You’d work within a team of other Mission Integration Engineers and Mission Managers, on the same program and across related efforts, to ensure total alignment of your work. You would also work closely with disciplines across SpaceX such as software, flight reliability and payload integration to ensure safe and successful mission completion.

You’ll contribute to the performance and execution of satellite programs while specifically focusing on the mission specific systems that drive, manage, and provide user insight into those programs. Based on customer requirements and SpaceX’s system capabilities, you’ll develop system specifications and interface control documentation. This work will cover a number of technical disciplines including satellite command and control, operational planning, data processing, and the secure implementation and execution of each of these discipline areas. Our ideal candidate is a self-starter and is hungry to do work that matters.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the customer interface at meetings, tests, and reviews to develop operations plans, design missions, and participate in real world operations.
• Ensure contract deliverables are completed on-time and distill customer requirements into actionable development objectives.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders to drive development. Collaborate with subsystem representatives across team boundaries to consider all necessary trades and ensure end-to-end mission success.
• Support all phases of the program from development, initial proposal, through successful test, flight, and on-orbit commissioning. This will include educating the customer on our designs and methodologies.
• Own ground segment architecture design.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in a engineering or science discipline.
• 1+ years of software engineering or electrical engineering, working hands-on with hardware or software technical projects.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Familiarity with USG intelligence processes and systems.
• Experience integrating with genAI and traditional machine learning techniques expectations and skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver reliable and expeditious results across multiple parallel priorities.
• Highly detail oriented, hardworking, and professional with excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Spacecraft mission design, development, integration, and/or test experience.
• Strong penchant for innovation in process improvement and system design. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must be available to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to support critical milestones or operations shifts. Must be willing to travel to other SpaceX offices, customer locations, and remote ground sites as needed.
• Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
Mission Integration Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year  
Mission Integration Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00/per year  

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. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

FORWARD DEPLOYED ENGINEER, MISSION SYSTEMS (STARSHIELD)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As a member of our Mission Management team, you will help tackle new technical problems from initial requirements verification through rapid prototyping, integrated test, and operational deployment. 

You’d work within a team of other Engineers and Mission Managers, on the same program and across related efforts, to ensure total alignment of your work. You would also work closely with disciplines across SpaceX such as software, flight reliability and payload integration to ensure safe and successful mission completion.

You’ll contribute to the performance and execution of satellite programs while specifically focusing on the mission specific systems that drive, manage, and provide user insight into those programs. Based on customer requirements and SpaceX’s system capabilities, you’ll develop system specifications and interface control documentation. This work will cover a number of technical disciplines including satellite command and control, operational planning, data processing, and the secure implementation and execution of each of these discipline areas. Our ideal candidate is a self-starter and is hungry to do work that matters.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the customer interface at meetings, tests, and reviews to develop operations plans, design missions, and participate in real world operations.
• Ensure contract deliverables are completed on-time and distill customer requirements into actionable development objectives.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders to drive development. Collaborate with subsystem representatives across team boundaries to consider all necessary trades and ensure end-to-end mission success.
• Support all phases of the program from development, initial proposal, through successful test, flight, and on-orbit commissioning. This will include educating the customer on our designs and methodologies.
• Own ground segment architecture design.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in a engineering or science discipline.
• 1+ years of software engineering or electrical engineering, working hands-on with hardware or software technical projects.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Familiarity with USG intelligence processes and systems.
• Experience integrating with genAI and traditional machine learning techniques expectations and skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver reliable and expeditious results across multiple parallel priorities.
• Highly detail oriented, hardworking, and professional with excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Spacecraft mission design, development, integration, and/or test experience.
• Strong penchant for innovation in process improvement and system design. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must be available to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to support critical milestones or operations shifts. Must be willing to travel to other SpaceX offices, customer locations, and remote ground sites as needed.
• Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
Mission Integration Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year  
Mission Integration Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00/per year  

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. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

MISSION INTEGRATION ENGINEER, USER PRODUCTS (STARSHIELD)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As a member of our Mission Management team, you will serve as a core point of contact for customers from early education about Starshield communications to supervision of in-depth and scaled deployments of Starshield User Products. You’ll support new business proposals from initial requirements verification through successful integrations of hardware, software, and networks. You’d work within a team of other Mission Integration Engineers and Mission Managers, on the same program and across related efforts, to ensure total alignment of your work. You would also work closely with disciplines across SpaceX such as hardware engineering, software, network operations, security, sales, and account management to ensure customer mission success.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the customer interface at meetings, tests, and reviews to develop integration plans, assist in architectural overviews, and ensure customer success when building out communications and data systems.
• Ensure contract deliverables are completed on-time and per customer expectations, distill customer requirements into actionable development objectives.
• Work with all internal and external stakeholders to drive prototype development. Collaborate with subsystem representatives across team boundaries to consider all necessary trades and ensure end-to-end mission success.
• Support all phases of the program from pre-sales consultations, integrations, testing, troubleshooting and steady state operations. This will include educating the customer on our designs and methodologies.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of experience working in the aerospace or defense industry.
• 2+ years of technical project management and/or systems engineering experience.
• Experience working with satellite communications networks and IP networks.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver reliable and expeditious results across multiple parallel priorities.
• Highly detail oriented, hardworking, and professional with excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Proficiency in network engineering (LAN/WAN, routing, IP transit)
• Data science proficiency (SQL or equivalent)
• Strong penchant for innovation in process improvement and system design. 
• Positive, “can-do” attitude, self-starter, and ability to work in a high pace dynamic environment.
• Strong analytical, verbal, and written skills.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must pass DoD level background checks for entry into various government facilities.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:  

Pay Range:
Mission Integration Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year  
Mission Integration Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00/per year      

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. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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, stock options, 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 & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation & will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF, SPECIAL PROGRAMS

This team focuses on engineering and deploying AI capabilities (models, APIs, tools, and integrations) for U.S. federal agencies. You'll work closely with product, research, infrastructure, and legal/governance teams to make  AI and future models maximally useful for missions while upholding safety, transparency, and ethical standards.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, build, and optimize integrations between AI frontier models (e.g., Grok family) and government systems, platforms, and data environments
• Collaborate on custom SDKs, APIs, developer tools, and documentation tailored for government and enterprise developers
• Partner with agency stakeholders to understand requirements, prototype solutions, and iterate rapidly based on real-world feedback
• Ship production-grade code and features with a bias toward speed, simplicity, and measurable impact

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or another STEM discipline; OR 2+ years of professional experience in software development in lieu of a degree

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 1+ years of hands-on software engineering experience building scalable systems, APIs, or AI/ML applications (strong Python proficiency, other languages a plus)
• Experience working with large language models, generative AI, or agentic systems—either in research, production, or applied engineering
• Familiarity with government or public sector technology environments (federal civilian agencies, state/local gov, or regulated industries like healthcare, finance, or infrastructure)
• Strong product sensibility: ability to translate ambiguous stakeholder needs into concrete technical solutions
• Demonstrated ability to write clean, maintainable, high-performance code under tight timelines
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and intellectual curiosity—you thrive on hard, ambiguous challenges
• Excellent communication skills; you can explain complex technical concepts to non-technical partners clearly and concisely
• Prior work on AI safety, governance, red-teaming, or responsible AI deployment
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), or API orchestration
• Background in policy-adjacent technical roles, civic tech, or public-interest technology
• Contributions to open-source AI projects or developer tools

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
• 20% travel may be required to government sites
• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:    
Member of Technical Staff: $150,000.00 - $350,000.00/per year    

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, stock options, 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

SR. MANAGER, USER PRODUCTS (STARSHIELD MISSIONS) 

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with a focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As the Sr. Manager, User Products in Starshield Missions, you will lead a team of Mission Integration Engineers and Mission Managers. You will own full responsibility for integrating Starshield user products (e.g., user terminals) into US Government platforms and systems and will serve as the primary point of contact for ongoing feature definition and development of new products.

Ideal candidates have strong systems integration backgrounds with proven leadership in government programs. We seek leaders who solve complex problems and thrive in fast-paced environments.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the team in integrating Starshield user products into USG platforms/systems across mission and contract lifecycles.  
• Act as the primary point of contact for user product feature definition, requirements, and development.
• Act as the representative of Starshield User Products to the US Government, and as the responsible owner within SpaceX for the US Government’s needs and requirements. 
• Drive end-to-end trades, interface definitions, testing, and verification with stakeholders. 
• Ensure on-time deliverables, risk mitigation, and mission success. 
• Mentor team, foster innovation, and collaborate across programs.
• Grow the team and our product adoption across the US Government. 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's in an engineering or science discipline.
• 8+ years in aerospace, space, and/or defense industries.
• 5+ years leading integration of hardware/software into government systems.
• 3+ years managing technical teams.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Deep technical understanding of SpaceX’s technology and user products
• Experience with comms payloads, user terminals, or satcom integration.
• Ability to operate across all levels of SpaceX and external entities (e.g. CEOs, Generals, and VPs through technicians, engineers, and end-users).
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Proven delivery under pressure across priorities.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must pass DoD level background checks for entry into various government facilities.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:          

Sr. Manager, User Products: $165,000.00 - $230,000.00/per year    

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. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $15,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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, stock options, 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law. 

SR. MANAGER, USER PRODUCTS (STARSHIELD MISSIONS) 

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with a focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

As the Sr. Manager, User Products in Starshield Missions, you will lead a team of Mission Integration Engineers and Mission Managers. You will own full responsibility for integrating Starshield user products (e.g., user terminals) into US Government platforms and systems and will serve as the primary point of contact for ongoing feature definition and development of new products.

Ideal candidates have strong systems integration backgrounds with proven leadership in government programs. We seek leaders who solve complex problems and thrive in fast-paced environments.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the team in integrating Starshield user products into USG platforms/systems across mission and contract lifecycles.  
• Act as the primary point of contact for user product feature definition, requirements, and development.
• Act as the representative of Starshield User Products to the US Government, and as the responsible owner within SpaceX for the US Government’s needs and requirements. 
• Drive end-to-end trades, interface definitions, testing, and verification with stakeholders. 
• Ensure on-time deliverables, risk mitigation, and mission success. 
• Mentor team, foster innovation, and collaborate across programs.
• Grow the team and our product adoption across the US Government. 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's in engineering or science discipline.
• 8+ years in aerospace, space, and/or defense industries.
• 5+ years leading integration of hardware/software into government systems.
• 3+ years managing technical teams.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Deep technical understanding of SpaceX’s technology and user products
• Experience with comms payloads, user terminals, or satcom integration.
• Ability to operate across all levels of SpaceX and external entities (e.g. CEOs, Generals, and VPs through technicians, engineers, and end-users).
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Proven delivery under pressure across priorities.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.
• Must pass DoD level background checks for entry into various government facilities.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:          

Sr. Manager, User Products: $165,000.00 - $230,000.00/per year    

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. Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $15,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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, stock options, 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.