Power Electronics Engineer, Consumer Hardware & Gateways (Starlink)

Spacex; Bastrop, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Power Electronics Engineer for Starlink in Bastrop, TX. You will own converters and power architecture for hardware that talks to the satellites, covering gateway infrastructure and consumer terminals.

You will take concepts through production ramp and collaborate with RF, thermal, mechanical, test, and firmware teams. A Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and 1+ year of power electronics experience are required; strong knowledge of AC/DC and DC-DC topologies, control

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field.
• 1+ years of experience designing power electronics (converters, magnetics, or power stages).
• Internships or extracurricular experience are applicable.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test highly reliable power electronics for hardware that communicates with our satellites
• Provide engineering expertise in the design, analysis, and testing of AC/DC and DC-DC converters from watt-class boards through multi-kW racks
• Architect system-level power distribution; lead design trades and development of requirements with RF, thermal, mechanical, test, and firmware
• Own schematic capture, magnetics specification, control-loop design, and layout constraints through prototype bring-up
• Define and perform electrical power system verification: efficiency, thermal, EMC, surge/transient, and reliability
• Work with multidisciplinary teams of design, test, and production engineers to take new power electronics from EVT through production ramp and cost-down

Skills

Power electronics

AC/DC topologies

DC-DC converters

Control-loop design

EMC

Thermal management

Fault tolerance

High-volume power

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Job description

Power Electronics Engineer, Consumer Hardware & Gateways (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.

Starlink believes in providing fast, reliable internet to serve populations with little or no connectivity. We design, build, launch, and operate the world's largest constellation of satellites, enabling us to operate a global internet network unbounded by traditional ground infrastructure limitations. Starlink also designs, builds, and delivers high-volume consumer hardware that allows users to connect to these satellites within minutes of unboxing, as well as the high-power gateway infrastructure we deploy regionally throughout the world. The root of SpaceX’s success so far lies in our mission to keep engineering and production in-house, which enables a tight feedback loop, nimble decision-making, and speedy deliverables. With millions of daily users worldwide already online, Starlink is truly a game-changer and levels the playing field for those who were previously unconnected.

As a Power Electronics Engineer on Starlink in Bastrop, you will own converters and power architecture for hardware that talks to the constellation. This role covers two product classes on the same team; you may focus on one or work across both.

• Gateway / infrastructure: design high-power (multi-kW) AC/DC, DC/DC, and power distribution for outdoor ground-station electronics that must survive heat, cold, lightning, and poor grid quality while staying on-air.
• Consumer / user terminals: design the power path for products we ship by the million (user terminals, routers, accessories). Cost, yield, DFM/DFA, test time, and weeks-not-months iteration matter as much as efficiency. You will be in the factory loop, not only the lab.

Our customers 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 in rural or developing areas. You will owned hardware from concept through production ramp and will present design trades to senior leadership.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, develop, and test highly reliable power electronics for hardware that communicates with our satellites
• Provide engineering expertise in the design, analysis, and testing of AC/DC and DC-DC converters from watt-class boards through multi-kW racks
• Architect system-level power distribution; lead design trades and development of requirements with RF, thermal, mechanical, test, and firmware
• Own schematic capture, magnetics specification, control-loop design, and layout constraints through prototype bring-up
• Define and perform electrical power system verification: efficiency, thermal, EMC, surge/transient, and reliability
• Work with multidisciplinary teams of design, test, and production engineers to take new power electronics from EVT through production ramp and cost-down

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience designing power electronics (converters, magnetics, or power stages); internships or extracurricular experience is applicable

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 3+ years of experience in power converter development
• Strong understanding of AC/DC and DC-DC topologies, with ability to select optimal architectures and components
• Strong understanding of analog control and discrete logic design
• Strong understanding of design for fault tolerance and reliability
• Experience solving EMC related issues
• Experience in modeling, simulation, and testing of power electronics
• Experience in voltage and current mode control and compensation design
• Experience with AC-DC converters and power factor correction
• Experience with in-lab impedance measurement and loop-gain measurement
• Familiarity with the design of wire-wound and planar inductors and transformers
• Experience with either high-volume consumer power (cost, DFM, NPI) or high-power outdoor/infrastructure supplies
• Experience with power-stage PCB layout (switching loops, grounding, EMI)

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

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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.

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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.

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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.