Software Engineer, Linux Kernel (Starlink)
About The Position
SpaceX is hiring a Software Engineer for the Platform Core team, which develops the lowest layers of software for its AI supercomputers. The team’s software interfaces directly with the supercomputer’s core hardware and network fabric. The role includes building and maintaining a lean, reliable Linux-based operating system for the supercomputer network fabric and Starlink satellite laser mesh, developing high-performance device drivers, and supporting the platform in production. The engineer will work with hardware teams and external partners to design future supercomputer hardware and bring up the operating system and software stack on it.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or a science discipline, or at least 2 years of professional software-development experience in lieu of a degree; internship experience is applicable.
- Hands-on system programming experience in C or C++.
Nice To Haves
- Deep knowledge of the Linux kernel and its networking stack, or experience with another production-grade kernel.
- Proficiency with debugging tools across kernel, network, and userspace, such as ftrace, perf, Wireshark/tcpdump, eBPF, and gdb.
- Experience bringing up new hardware from scratch, such as flashing bare-metal software to a microcontroller with JTAG or bootstrapping a Linux kernel and root filesystem on new hardware.
- Track record developing and optimizing device or peripheral drivers, ideally for high-speed interfaces or with advanced considerations such as DMA and cache coherency.
- Understanding of peripheral hardware interface standards such as Ethernet, PCIe, I2C, and SPI, including the ability to review schematics and debug interfaces.
- Experience with product security, operating-system or system hardening, and secure-boot schemes.
Responsibilities
- Build and maintain the Linux-based operating system underpinning the supercomputer network fabric and Starlink satellite laser mesh.
- Write or rewrite high-performance device drivers to maximize the capability of network and compute hardware.
- Manage deployment, operation, and debugging of the platform in production.
- Investigate and resolve anomalies through root-cause analysis to improve system reliability.
- Develop and continually improve observability and configuration-management tools.
- Collaborate with hardware teams and external partners to design next-generation supercomputer hardware and bring up the operating system and software stack on it.
Benefits
- Potential long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards.
- Potential discretionary bonuses.
- Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
- Comprehensive medical coverage.
- Vision coverage.
- Dental coverage.
- 401(k) retirement plan.
- Short- and long-term disability insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Paid parental leave.
- Various other discounts and perks.
- May accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation.
- Eligible for 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 through Friday.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
