CNC Manufacturing Engineer: Raptor Chamber & Nozzle

SpaceX; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

401(k)

Paid parental leave

Vacation & holidays

Medical, vision, dental

Job summary

SpaceX in Hawthorne, CA is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to design, implement, and scale CNC machining processes for Raptor combustion chambers and nozzles. You will own multi-axis milling, turning, and precision finishing to deliver high-rate production with tight tolerances.

This role collaborates with propulsion, materials, and production teams, builds data pipelines for process control, and champions continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 1+ year hands-on CNC machining and programming experience with metallic components.

Responsibilities

• Develop, deploy, and iteratively improve CNC machining processes for Raptor chambers and nozzles.
• Develop and optimize CNC programs, tool paths, and machining strategies using CAM software.
• Implement closed-loop CNC process control with real-time monitoring to maintain tolerances.
• Build data pipelines capturing CNC telemetry for SPC, analytics, and ML models.
• Design fixtures, work holding, and pallet systems for high-precision machining.
• Own CNC software infrastructure including post-processors and simulations.
• Collaborate with propulsion design, materials, and production teams to translate designs into processes.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce cycle times and increase first-pass yield.
• Integrate in-process metrology for adaptive CNC machining and quality verification.

Skills

CNC machining

Python

CAM software

G-code

5-axis milling

Data analytics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

Post-processors

Offline programming

CAD/CAM systems

Job description

SpaceX in Hawthorne, CA is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to design, implement, and scale CNC machining processes for Raptor combustion chambers and nozzles. You will own multi-axis milling, turning, and precision finishing to deliver high-rate production with tight tolerances.

This role collaborates with propulsion, materials, and production teams, builds data pipelines for process control, and champions continuous improvement.