Payload Integration Engineer, Special Programs

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Bonuses & incentives

Comprehensive health benefits

401(k) retirement plan

Paid vacation & holidays

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Mission Integration Engineer for Special Programs in Hawthorne, CA. You will own payload-to-platform integration, coordinating across vehicle engineering, structures, avionics, thermal, software, and operations to ensure a safe, end-to-end mission timeline and interface control.

The role requires a Bachelor's in engineering, ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance, and strong systems engineering and communication skills. Travel and occasional extended hours may be needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or STEM field.
• Ability to obtain a Top Secret SCI clearance.
• Experience applying systems engineering methods (requirements, interfaces, verification, or integration and test).
• Excellent verbal and written technical communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the payload-to-platform ICD: define, baseline, and configuration-control mechanical, electrical, data, and thermal interfaces.
• Allocate customer and vehicle requirements to the interface; maintain traceability through analysis, test, and inspection.
• Evaluate payload design against platform constraints and environments for launch, on-orbit, and re-entry.
• Lead interface trades and document the technical basis.
• Disposition interface non-compliances with engineering: waiver, redesign, or operational constraint.
• Define and support integrated test: interface checkout, EGSE, mate/demate, environmental test correlation, end-to-end mission timeline.
• Build and maintain the integrated mission CONOPs with payload, vehicle, and operations teams.
• Identify technical risk at payload–platform boundary and drive mitigations to closure.

Skills

Systems engineering

Communication skills

Security clearance

Requirements management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or STEM

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

ICD development

Requirements verification

Integrated testing

Job description

SpaceX is seeking a Mission Integration Engineer for Special Programs in Hawthorne, CA. You will own payload-to-platform integration, coordinating across vehicle engineering, structures, avionics, thermal, software, and operations to ensure a safe, end-to-end mission timeline and interface control.

The role requires a Bachelor's in engineering, ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance, and strong systems engineering and communication skills. Travel and occasional extended hours may be needed.