Electric Propulsion Engineer, Mechanical - (Starlink)

SpaceX•Redmond, WA

2d•$100,000 - $165,000

About The Position

As a mechanical engineer on the Starlink electric propulsion team, you will own the end-to-end design, analysis, testing, building, and on-orbit life cycle of propulsion hardware. You will oversee a critical satellite system and work cross-functionally with plasma physics experts, avionics engineers, and electrical engineers to develop thrusters, cathodes, regulators, and fluid feed systems. The role involves solving mechanical, thermal, magnetic, and fluid-system problems; owning hardware from conceptual design through high-volume production and on-orbit operation; and collaborating with partner engineering groups to develop requirements and optimize systems. You will drive design iteration, manufacturing efficiency, product lifecycle processes, hardware validation, delivery timelines, and root-cause investigations. The position requires demonstrating ownership of product outcomes throughout development and production.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
Experience with CAD and FEA software packages.
At least 1 year of industry experience; internships and co-ops may count.
Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support mission-critical milestones.
For ITAR compliance, applicants must meet the stated U.S. citizenship, permanent-residency, refugee, or asylee criteria, or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline.
At least 3 years of professional experience in mechanical design and analysis.
Hands-on experience designing, building, and testing electric or chemical propulsion systems in an industry or laboratory environment.
Experience owning the full product lifecycle in a high-rate production environment, including design trades, CAD design, prototyping, manufacturing, testing, qualification, production, and reuse.
Experience with fluid dynamics, finite element analysis, or related computer-based modeling.
Experience with pressurized components such as valves, regulators, tubes, and pipes.
Experience with structural and electromagnetic finite element analysis.
At least 1 year of experience with GD&T concepts.
Experience with Python and MATLAB; familiarity with SQL and Metabase.
Experience leading mechanical design of operation-critical parts, including structural and fluid calculations and design considerations.
Experience with manufacturing processes such as CNC milling/turning, welding, casting, or additive manufacturing, and proficiency with Design for Manufacturing/Assembly fundamentals.

Responsibilities

Solve complex mechanical, thermal, magnetic, and fluid-system problems involving space-grade satellite hardware.
Own hardware from conceptual design through high-volume production and on-orbit operation for the Starlink constellation.
Work with partner teams including thermal, materials, electrical, mechanical, software, and GNC groups.
Develop design criteria, collaborate on requirements, and drive system-level optimization.
Iterate on designs and analyses to inform system trades and product direction.
Drive holistic design for manufacturing, reducing piece-part and process counts, preventing errors during fabrication and integration, and maintaining consistent performance and production metrics.
Establish an efficient product lifecycle from supply chain through final integration, balancing cost, complexity, and quality, and collaborate on designing and establishing an in-house production line.
Perform vacuum-chamber tests, performance characterization, and environmental testing to validate analysis and demonstrate compliance with design criteria.
Own product delivery timelines through conception, design, analysis, assembly, launch, and on-orbit performance.
Conduct root-cause investigations to understand failures and disposition hardware non-conformances.
Demonstrate ownership of product outcomes at every stage of development and production.

Benefits

Potential long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards.
Potential discretionary bonuses.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan with the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount.
Comprehensive medical coverage.
Vision insurance.
Dental insurance.
401(k) retirement plan.
Short- and long-term disability insurance.
Life insurance.
Paid parental leave.
Various other discounts and perks.
Accrual of 3 weeks of paid vacation.
10 or more paid holidays per year.
Washington State paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law.
Company shuttles for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office, Monday through Friday.