Propulsion Engineer, Valves (Raptor Components)

SpaceX•Hawthorne, CA

7h•Onsite

About The Position

The Raptor Components team conceptualizes, models, drafts, and supports mechanical and electro-mechanical control assemblies that run the Raptor engine. On this team, you will design and ensure success of these assemblies by combining fundamental fluid, mechanical, and electrical design elements into highly capable and integrated packages enabling streamlined manufacturing and engine operation. We design, analyze, build, test, and fly components for simplicity, manufacturability, and reliability in extreme thermal, pressure, and vibe environments. You will own the relationship between your hardware and suppliers, customers, and test teams while spearheading your own projects. You will provide input into vehicle architecture trades and take a lead role in design and flight readiness on Starship, the vehicle that will transform Earth orbit operations, normalize space technology, and make humanity multi-planetary.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering discipline or physics
1+ years of experience designing and analyzing mechanical systems via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both

Nice To Haves

Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, enthusiasm for problem solving, and desire to optimize modern rocket production and launch processes
Strong leadership project management skills and experience, and effective communication of technical concepts across multi-disciplinary teams
Master's degree or 1+ years of professional experience in mechanical or aerospace engineering
Experience designing, building, testing, and troubleshooting mechanical systems
Understanding of fundamental principles in fluid systems, solid mechanics, and/or electrical systems
Hands-on experience with fluid, gas, mechanical, high voltage, or test instrumentation and control
Knowledge of electro-mechanical devices, gears, actuators, motors, valves, regulators, or pumps

Responsibilities

Generate and improve CAD, engineering drawings, analysis, component specifications, and risk assessments to maximize vehicle reliability.
Spearhead root cause investigations that arise in development, production, test, integration and launch, implementing corrective actions, proactively seeking out hardware issues, and implementing solutions early.
Develop state-of-the-art, manufacturable, 99.99% reliable flow control devices. Question requirements, delete parts and processes, simplify/optimize, accelerate, and automate component deliveries.
Safely implement thorough component testing and checkouts across multiple build, test, and launch sites.
Set the standard for rigorous component design and qualification testing, increasing scrutiny as the vehicle program matures in pursuit of commercial and crewed orbital missions.
Partner with supply chain, manufacturing, testing, and flight teams to achieve SpaceX’s most reliable, highest rate components, striving for high factory yield and automotive volume/cost.
Coordinate team of peers through informal leadership and self-directed program organization to achieve goals. Assign clear responsibilities, motivating and holding teammates accountable for execution.
Be chief engineer, collaborating with peer/engine/vehicle teams to arrive at the simplest solution for the program goals. Inform system-level architecture, with component capabilities and vulnerabilities in mind, to minimize cost of payload to orbit.