Mechanical Engineer - Optical, Satellites (Starlink)

SpaceX; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Paid parental leave

Vacation and holidays

Shuttle service

Job summary

SpaceX in Redmond, WA seeks a Mechanical Engineer - Optical for satellites to own mechanical, electro-mechanical, and actuator hardware from concept through production and on-orbit operation. You will work with optical, electrical, thermal, and manufacturing teams to create robust, flight-ready hardware.

The role emphasizes CAD proficiency, hands-on testing in labs or on the factory floor, and design-for-manufacturability for both high-volume terminals and advanced payloads.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
• 1+ years of CAD and mechanical design experience including testing or manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical, electro-mechanical, and actuator hardware from concept to on-orbit operation.
• Design precision mechanisms and actuators—gimbals, fast-steering stages, flexures, launch locks, and related kinematics.
• Develop structural designs and load paths for laser terminals or imaging payloads; perform and interpret structural analysis (static, modal, random vibration, shock).
• Integrate electronics into flight hardware: PCBA packaging, thermal/mechanical interfaces, harnessing, connectors, and electro-mechanical assemblies.
• Rapidly iterate on design and analysis to inform system-level trades across mass, stiffness, pointing, cost, and manufacturability.
• Drive design for manufacturability and assembly for high-volume Starlink terminals and lower-rate, higher-performance hardware.
• Create CAD models and drawings with GD&T; release designs into production and support the factory through ramp.
• Define and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing, including environmental test (vibe, shock, TVAC).
• Lead root-cause investigations on mechanical issues and implement corrective actions.
• Partner with optical, electrical, thermal, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to deliver an integrated product.
• Own delivery timeline through conception, design, build, test, and launch.

Skills

CAD and mechanical design

Test lab hands-on

Manufacturing awareness

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

Master’s degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

NX CAD

FEA software

Job description

Mechanical Engineer - Optical, Satellites (Starlink)

Redmond, WA

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 engineers on the Optical Team own the end-to-end design of hardware that provide high-bandwidth connectivity and state of the art imagery for our satellites. This includes next-generation Starlink long-range Space Lasers for inner-satellite links to the Moon and (eventually) Mars; Advanced imaging payloads for attitude determination and space-safety surveillance, as well as Space-to-ground laser communication technology.

As a Mechanical Engineer you will own the structural, actuator, and electro-mechanical design of hardware such as: precision pointing mechanisms, launch-lock and deployment hardware, chassis and load paths, and the packaging of electronics into flight assemblies. You will take hardware from first sketch through analysis, prototype, environmental test, production, and on-orbit operation. Successful candidates are equally comfortable in CAD as well as being hands on in the test lab or on the factory floor.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own mechanical, electro-mechanical, and actuator hardware from conceptual design through production and on-orbit operation
• Design precision mechanisms and actuators — gimbals, fast-steering stages, flexures, launch locks, and related kinematics — that meet pointing, stiffness, mass, and reliability requirements
• Develop structural designs and load paths for laser terminals or imaging payloads; perform and interpret structural analysis (static, modal, random vibration, shock) to close the design
• Integrate electronics into flight hardware: PCBA packaging, thermal/mechanical interfaces, harnessing, connectors, and electro-mechanical assemblies
• Rapidly iterate on design and analysis to inform system-level trades across mass, stiffness, pointing, cost, and manufacturability
• Drive design for manufacturability and assembly for both high-volume Starlink terminals and lower-rate, higher-performance deep-space and imaging hardware
• Create CAD models and drawings with appropriate GD&T; release designs into production and support the factory through ramp
• Define and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing, including environmental test (vibe, shock, TVAC)
• Lead root-cause investigations on mechanical, electro-mechanical, and production issues and implement corrective actions
• Partner with optical, electrical, thermal, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to deliver an integrated product
• Own delivery timeline through conception, design, build, test, and launch

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or other engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience with CAD and mechanical design, analysis, testing, and/or manufacturing (internships/co-ops, research, and project experience is applicable)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related technical discipline
• 3+ years of professional experience in mechanical design of mechanisms, structures, or electro-mechanical systems
• Experience designing precision actuators, gimbals, flexures, or motion-control mechanisms
• Demonstrated structural analysis of complex assemblies (stiffness, modal, random vibration, shock, and/or thermoelastic)
• Experience integrating electronics into mechanical assemblies (PCBA mechanical design, packaging, connectors, harnessing)
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (NX preferred) and solid application of GD&T
• Experience with structural analysis or finite element analysis (FEA) software
• Experience taking a component or assembly from initial design through production ramp
• Hands-on experience building, instrumenting, and testing hardware
• Knowledge of materials, machining, sheet metal, additive, and/or casting processes for mechanical assemblies
• Experience with design of experiments, instrumentation, and data acquisition
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and a demonstrated sense of ownership
• Passion for advancing the commercial space industry — and a track record of building things because you want to

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to support mission critical hardware, test, and production milestones
• Some travel to vendors and other SpaceX sites as needed

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• Level 1: $100,000.00 - $135,000.00
• Level 2: $115,000.00 - $165,000.00

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 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. Employees in Washington State accrue paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law. Company shuttles are offered to employees for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday.

• 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.