Sr. AI Security Software Engineer (Starshield)

SpaceX•Hawthorne, CA

6d•$170,000 - $265,000

About The Position

SpaceX is hiring a senior engineer for its newly formed AI security team supporting Starshield. The role focuses on developing AI-powered automation and platforms to identify and fix vulnerabilities, perform real-time detection and investigation, and support network defense. The team uses AI to accelerate development and rollout while ensuring that its AI security tools are highly trusted and secure. The engineer will build security-critical agents and platforms, apply AI to security problems across Starshield infrastructure and systems, and help teams integrate AI securely into new and existing systems. Prior security engineering experience is preferred but not required; experience or strong enthusiasm for AI, agent engineering, robust software system design, and network and systems security is valued.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science or another STEM discipline and 5+ years of professional software development experience, or 7+ years of professional security software development experience in lieu of a degree.
Experience with one or more software development languages, such as Python, C++, or Golang.
Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
Must successfully obtain and maintain a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment.
Must meet U.S. export-control eligibility requirements: be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing and building production software across the stack, including backend services, data models and migrations, and modern web frontends.
Experience taking software from prototype to production, including containerized deployment on Kubernetes, CI pipelines, monitoring, and secure connections between services.
Experience designing, prompting, and securing agents that can perform long-running autonomous tasks.
Experience applying AI or machine learning to classification and decision problems, such as identifying malicious activity or malicious inputs to an agent.
Experience designing AI systems that learn and improve over time.
Experience in fundamental security engineering areas, including identity, cryptography, network security, operating system security, detection, and monitoring.
Flexibility, clear communication, and the ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships with other engineering teams.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance.
Prior security engineering experience.

Responsibilities

Design and build security-critical agents for Starshield that automate network and systems defense.
Use AI to discover and fix security issues in Starshield infrastructure and systems.
Provide guidance on and test AI integrations into new and existing Starshield systems.
Identify program areas where automation and AI can meaningfully improve security.
Maintain production systems and improve security posture through direct implementation and recommendations to other teams.

Benefits

Potential eligibility for 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.
Up to 3 weeks of accrued paid vacation.
10 or more paid holidays per year.
Paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy.
10% differential for employees with an active clearance once officially briefed into a classified program, up to an additional $20,000 annually.