Electrical Test Development Engineer, Customer Hardware (Starlink)

SpaceX; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX in Bastrop, TX is seeking an Electrical Test Development Engineer for customer hardware to own test solutions for Starlink devices.

You will design automated tests for high-volume consumer hardware, select test hardware or PCBAs, and write Python tooling to verify performance and reliability across production and field data, collaborating across mechanical, electrical, software, and manufacturing teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline.
• 1+ years of hardware development or electronics test engineering.
• 1+ years of programming experience.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop automated test solutions for high‑volume consumer products.
• Select COTS hardware or design PCBA to measure signals and apply test loads.
• Write Python software to interact with units under test and data systems.
• Collaborate with design, manufacturing, and test labs to improve reliability.
• Provide feedback to engineers to drive design and infra improvements.

Skills

Test automation

Python

C/C++

Circuit analysis

Cross-functional work

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscope

Multimeter

Spectrum analyzer

Vector signal generator

Source measure unit

Job description

Electrical Test Development Engineer, Customer Hardware (Starlink)

Bastrop, TX

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.

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 millions of 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 Starlink Electrical Test Development Engineer, you’ll have complete ownership over the development of test solutions for characterizing the reliability and performance of millions of customer‑facing devices that we ship directly to end users (Starlink dishes/user terminals, Wi‑Fi routers, etc.). Our customers currently include teachers in the most remote parts of the Amazon, researchers in Antarctica, digital nomads who travel via RV, emergency responders, commercial airlines, cruise lines, and residential users who live in more rural or developing areas. You will be responsible for the design, implementation, and verification of development, production, and reliability test solutions. You will interact regularly with senior leadership to influence the fundamental operation of our products while collaborating with electrical, silicon, software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams to steer this project from initial concept development to full‑scale production.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design and develop automated test solutions for our high‑volume consumer phased arrays, WiFi routers, power supplies, and upcoming products
• Select commercial‑off‑the‑shelf hardware and/or design custom PCBAs to measure signals, apply flight‑like loads, and power units under test
• Write automation software in Python to interact with units under test, test equipment, instrumentation, field data, and production documentation systems
• Work closely with and consistently provide feedback to responsible design engineers, manufacturing engineers, and test lab teams to drive design or infrastructure improvements to increase product reliability and yield
• Challenge assumptions and work to find simple solutions to complex problems

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience with hardware development or electronics test engineering (internship and extracurricular experience is applicable)
• 1+ years of programming experience

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience analyzing circuits and developing functional test plans
• Experience designing and troubleshooting PCBAs
• Experience with test equipment and measurement techniques to verify and validate product requirements (oscilloscope, multimeter, electronic load, spectrum analyzer, network analyzer, vector signal generator, source measurement unit, etc.)
• Understanding of electrical schematics and electronics manufacturing to analyze and improve test coverage
• Understanding of metrology, sources of measurement error, and uncertainty analysis
• Experience developing object‑oriented software
• Thorough understanding of electronics reliability and failure mechanisms
• Understanding and experience in environmental testing such as HALT/HASS, thermal, vibration and TVAC
• Strong understanding of computers and programming languages (Python, C/C++)
• 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
• 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 reach out to [e-mail] .

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in SpaceX’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.