Mechanical Engineer, Operations (Starship)

SpaceX; Texas; On-site; USD 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX in Starbase, TX seeks a Mechanical Engineer for Starship. You will design, analyze, and build high-performance hardware across Starship and Super Heavy, aligning to design, analysis, test, structures, and manufacturing tasks.

You will perform hand calculations and FEA, iterate processes, and work with cross-functional teams to ensure integration and mission readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or physics required.
• 1+ years in mechanical or fluids design, analysis, or build.
• Master's or PhD strongly preferred for advanced roles.

Responsibilities

• Own design and development of next generation launch vehicles, pads and production lines.
• Translate system requirements into hardware concepts and options.
• Perform hand calculations and FEA to optimize designs.
• Iterate manufacturing processes and testing in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to integrate hardware.
• Participate in design reviews with suppliers and customers.
• Partner with engineering and production teams to improve vehicles.
• Own large business outcomes.

Skills

Mechanical design

FEA

Data-driven decisions

Systems integration

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or physics

Master's or PhD in engineering or physics

Tools

FEA software

CAD software

Python / MATLAB

Job description

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.

MECHANICAL ENGINEER (STARSHIP)

Our Starbase team is working on the toughest and most audacious project on our planet: making humanity multiplanetary. Our team is building high performance flight hardware, a high-volume rocket production line, and a launch system that can rapidly and reliably launch and land our rockets. Our mechanical engineers are responsible for designing, analyzing, and building all of the hardware across the Starship and Super Heavy vehicles. Expect a dynamic role doing what you’re best at. Whatever your skill set, you’ll be aligned to the part of the program you’re most effectively able to contribute to (design, analysis, test, structures, fluids, manufacturing, tooling, machine design, etc.). If you are a high performing engineer, want to immerse yourself in never-before-solved challenges, and are excited to put in the effort to make this goal a reality, we want to hear from you.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own the design and development of next generation launch vehicles, launch pad and production lines
• Transform system requirements into hardware concepts and trade implementation and architecture options
• Perform hand calculations and FEA to develop, assess, and optimize designs
• Rapidly iterate on manufacturing processes and development testing in a fast-paced environment
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure hardware integrates with all Starship systems and supports necessary mission operations
• Participate in design reviews internally and with suppliers and customers
• Partner with engineering and production teams to generate ideas, designs, and improvements for current and next-generation vehicles
• Own large business outcomes

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or physics
• 1+ years of mechanical or fluids design, analysis, or build experience (internship and school projects experience qualify)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's or PhD in an engineering or physics discipline
• Strong ability to use data and analysis to make fast data-driven decisions
• Ability to perform trade studies and make clear recommendations using first principles and engineering fundamentals even with partial information. Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals
• Experience working at a nimble engineering organization or in a highly technical position that required a scrappy, entrepreneurial manner to accomplish tasks with tight time or budget constraints
• Excelled in ultra-competitive environments. You’ve nailed a podium finish in engineering, math, or science competitions, achieved scores in the top percentile of scholastic or standardized tests, or demonstrated other incredible feats of intellectual achievement
• Experience building hardware or have a passion for contributing to a work product that operates in the real world
• Succeeded in multiple endeavors at once; maybe you worked through college, were a student athlete, or demonstrated strong work or academic performance in multiple fields
• Demonstrated rapid growth, you’ve held successive positions of increasing responsibility within an organization, were able to get yourself up to speed at a heroic pace, and accomplished something meaningfully difficult early in your career
• Demonstrated resilience and the ability to overcome failure or extreme odds. Many critics would say that our goals are impossible but this isn’t the first time we’ve proven that highly improbable goals like reusable rockets can become possible

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Extended hours and weekend work may be required to support critical project and mission milestones

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 Aff… or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [e-mail].