PCB Designer (Starlink)

SpaceX•Redmond, WA

About The Position

SpaceX is developing Starlink, a global broadband internet system consisting of satellites, consumer receivers, and supporting software. The PCB Designer creates layouts for SpaceX’s in-house board designs and partners with Hardware Development Engineers throughout schematic development and design reviews. The role covers a variety of designs, including radio phased arrays and solar power converters, and contributes expertise and recommendations to develop effective design solutions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and at least 1 year of professional PCB layout experience, or at least 3 years of professional PCB layout experience in lieu of a degree; internships and club/project work apply.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Must meet U.S. government export-control eligibility requirements: be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Nice To Haves

At least 2 years of PCB layout and routing experience with modern passive and active electronic components, surface-mount components, RF components, ball-grid arrays or other fine-pitch components, or high-pin-density components.
At least 1 year of experience with ECAD libraries and library configuration management.
Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout software such as Xpedition, Allegro, Altium, or KiCad.
Experience laying out mixed analog and digital designs, high-speed buses, FPGA, DRAM and CPU designs, power supplies, DC-DC converters, transmission lines, impedance-controlled traces, and power traces.
Demonstrated understanding of design for manufacturability, assembly, and test.
Proficiency generating fabrication outputs such as Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, and drill files; performing DFM/DFA analysis and constraint-driven design; and collaborating on libraries, including symbols, footprints, and 3D models.
Experience with MIL-STD, commercial, and IPC standards and design.
Proficiency writing code and/or using AI tools to automate CAD workflows, such as Python, Altium/Xpedition scripting, or Allegro SKILL.
Demonstrated cross-functional project management skills and ability to collaborate with other engineering disciplines.

Responsibilities

Determine PCB layer stackups, select component packages, place components, and assess routing feasibility.
Perform multilayer PCB layout, including component placement and high-speed digital, analog, RF, and power routing.
Run DRC/ERC checks, peer reviews, and design audits; collaborate with electrical and mechanical engineers to capture design requirements.
Manage high-speed design constraints to support signal and power integrity, thermal performance, impedance control, and EMI/EMC compliance.
Create documentation required for PCB and PCBA fabrication and assembly.
Analyze designs for manufacturability and incorporate production feedback from fabrication houses and assembly partners to reduce costs and improve yield.
Collaborate with internal manufacturing teams and PCB vendors to improve design rules, constraints, and design-for-test and manufacturing guidelines.
Use PCB design tools, maintain and evaluate new tools, and train team members in their use.

Benefits

Potential eligibility for long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards.
Potential discretionary bonuses.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan offering the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount.
Comprehensive medical coverage.
Vision coverage.
Dental coverage.
401(k) retirement plan.
Short- and long-term disability insurance.
Life insurance.
Paid parental leave.
Various discounts and perks.
Accrual of 3 weeks of paid vacation may be available.
10 or more paid holidays per year.
Washington State employees accrue 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 to Friday.