SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
SR. SATELLITE OPERATIONS AND RELIABILITY ENGINEER (STARLINK)
SpaceX is leveraging its experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to more than 3+ million users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential global impact. As we continue to upgrade and expand the constellation, we’re looking for best-in-class engineers to join the team.
As a Sr. Satellite Operations and Reliability Engineer on Starlink, you’ll sit at the intersection of electrical, mechanical, and software engineering - ultimately ensuring that hardware on thousands of satellites can robustly serve millions of users worldwide from low-Earth orbit. You will send commands and respond to alerts to sustain peak performance of the largest constellation of satellites in the world. You will work with subsystem responsible engineers, software engineers, guidance navigation and control engineers, and network engineers to develop tools, mitigations, and upgrades to orbital assets. You will define and improve procedures for operating and monitoring new hardware versions, new Starlink satellites, and new satellite capabilities. Through continuous improvement, you will drive changes, automation, and process improvements to achieve the highest reliability with an efficient operator count.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Detect and triage emerging anomalies on satellite bus and payload hardware
- Drive continual improvements to our constellation by building and using tools to analyze data collected both on-orbit and in ground testing
- Write automation software in Python to interact with production documentation systems and satellite operations systems
- Develop operational processes and strategies for new versions and new performance targets of orbital assets and satellite subsystems within the Starlink network
- Work closely with engineers from adjacent disciplines (mechanical, thermal, software, test engineering, guidance control navigation, network engineering) to deliver high-performance high-reliability network connectivity to users
- Challenge assumptions and work to find simple solutions to complex problems
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics or other STEM discipline
- 5+ years of professional experience with hardware development or electronics test engineering (internship experience is acceptable)
- 3+ years of experience with Python, SQL, and/or bash scripting
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or similar engineering degree
- Strong understanding of computers and programming languages (Python, C/C++)
- Experience leading failure investigations of complex systems with data analysis
- Experience developing and leading cross-disciplinary qualification tests or field test operations
- Experience with formal software development processes
- Thorough understanding of hardware reliability and failure mechanisms
- Thorough understanding and experience in environmental testing such as HALT/HASS, thermal, vibration and TVAC
- Thorough understanding of metrology, sources of measurement error, and uncertainty analysis
- Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to work extended hours or weekends as needed for mission critical deadlines
- Ability to work on an “on-call” basis on a weeklong rotational schedule
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay range:
Satellite Operations & Reliability Engineer/Senior: $130,000.00 - $180,000.00/per year
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Exempt employees are eligible for 5 days of sick leave per year.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should notify the Human Resources Department at (310) 363-6000.
Top Skills
What We Do
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space transportation, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary.
SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company ever to return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, which it first accomplished in December 2010. The company made history again in May 2012 when its Dragon spacecraft attached to the International Space Station, exchanged cargo payloads, and returned safely to Earth — a technically challenging feat previously accomplished only by governments. Since then Dragon has delivered cargo to and from the space station multiple times, providing regular cargo resupply missions for NASA.
