New Graduate Engineer, Mechanical (Cape Canaveral)

SpaceX; Florida; On-site; USD 68,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a new graduate Mechanical Engineer at Cape Canaveral to contribute to high-performance flight hardware, production lines, and a launch system capable of rapidly launching and landing rockets. You will engage in design for manufacturability, hand calculations, and testing of new and flight-proven assemblies.

Ideal candidates hold a Bachelor's in engineering or physics, with 0–2 years of related experience and graduation in 2025–2026.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or physics.
• 1+ years of mechanical and/or fluids engineering experience via project team, research, internships, and/or professional experience.
• Graduating in Fall 2025, Spring 2026, or Summer 2026.

Responsibilities

• Iterate manufacturing processes and development testing in a fast-paced environment.
• Perform hand calculations and FEA to develop and optimize designs.
• Lead hands-on assembly, integration, and testing of vehicle hardware.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure hardware integrates with vehicle systems.

Skills

Data-driven decisions

Trade studies

Engineering fundamentals

Scrappy environment

Hardware experience

Multi-tasking

Rapid growth

Resilience

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or physics

Tools

Excel

FEA

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.

NEW GRADUATE ENGINEER, MECHANICAL (CAPE CANAVERAL)

Cape Canaveral is home to one of SpaceX’s most pivotal launch sites, hosting hundreds of Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon crew and cargo missions. We are now expanding the site’s capabilities as we introduce Starship operations to the Cape, getting us one step closer to our mission of making humanity multiplanetary. Whether it’s building out a new Starship launch pad and tower, Gigabay vertical integration facility, or scaling heat shield tile production, each day is filled with new and exciting challenges. We’re looking for world-class engineers to help this mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Expect a dynamic role doing what you're best at. Our team is building high performance flight hardware, high-volume rocket production lines, and a launch system that can rapidly and reliably launch and land our rockets. Whatever your skill set, you'll be aligned to the part of the program you're most effectively able to contribute to
• Rapidly iterate manufacturing processes and development testing in a fast-paced environment
• Execute design for manufacturability changes to enhance production efficiency
• Perform hand calculations and FEA to develop, assess, and optimize designs
• Assist with and lead hands-on assembly, integration, and testing of new and flight-proven vehicle assemblies
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure hardware integrates with all vehicle systems and supports necessary mission operations
• Own large business outcomes and experience a rate of personal and professional growth that is unmatched literally anywhere else

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or physics
• 1+ years of mechanical and/or fluids engineering experience via project team, research, internships, and/or professional experience
• Graduating in the fall of 2025, spring of 2026, or summer of 2026

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 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:

• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary
• Ability to pass Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral

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 Affiantive Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [e-mail].