Principal Hardware Engineer: Global Gateways & Devices

SpaceX Corp.; Bastrop (TX); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX in Bastrop, TX is seeking a Principal Hardware Engineer for Gateways & Customer Hardware (Starlink) to own the development of end-user devices such as Starlink dishes, user terminals, and gateways. You will design, verify, and bring up high‑reliability electronics for a global satellite internet system with cross‑functional collaboration across silicon, software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams.

Applicants should have 8+ years in hardware design, with extensive background in

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering.
• 8+ years designing circuits, electronic products, or hardware.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test reliable electronics for communicating with satellites.
• Collaborate with software, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and production test teams
• Lead system trades, requirements capture, component selection, analysis, schematic capture, PCB layout, prototyping, and hardware bring-up
• Support hardware through production, satellite integration, and flight
• Work with cross-functional teams to deliver high-performance hardware
• Drive design improvements using data analysis from orbit and lab
• Ensure designs meet environmental and production constraints

Skills

Mixed-signal design

Python, C/C++

PCB design

Cross-functional leadership

System-level engineering

Thermal engineering

Production bring-up

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering

Tools

PCB CAD tools

Signal analysis tools

Job description

Principal Hardware Engineer, Gateways & Customer Hardware (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 ofenabling human life on Mars.

PRINCIPAL HARDWARE ENGINEER, GATEWAYS & CUSTOMER HARDWARE (STARLINK)

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 our advanced gateways that we deploy regionally throughout the world. The root of SpaceX’s success so far lies in our mission to keep all 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 Principal Hardware Engineer on the Starlink team, you will have complete ownership over the development of millions of customer-facing products and devices that we ship directly to end users (Starlink dishes/user terminals, Wi-Fi routers, etc.). Our customers currently 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 who live in more rural or developing areas. You will be responsible for the design, implementation, and verification of the entire electrical system for these products. You could also be responsible for the design and performance of next-generation gateways - ultimately ensuring that our ground station antenna hardware can withstand the harshest environmental conditions while maintaining reliable communication with millions of users on a global scale. You will interact regularly with partner teams including silicon, software, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering to steer this hardware from initial concept development to full-scale production.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, develop, and test highly reliable electronics for communicating with our satellites
• Partner with software, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and production test teams
• Drive system trades, requirements capture, component selection, analysis, schematic capture, PCB layout, prototyping, hardware bring-up, debugging, documentation, manufacturing, and test of complex electrical designs
• Get hands-on and support hardware through production, satellite integration, and flight
• Work closely with engineers from adjacent disciplines (mechanical, thermal, software, test engineering, supply chain, silicon design, etc.) to deliver tightly integrated, high-performance hardware
• Drive continual improvements to our designs by building physical and digital tools to analyze data collected on orbit and in the lab
• Challenge assumptions and work to find simple solutions to complex problems

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering
• 8+ years of professional experience designing circuits, electronic products, or hardware

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 10+ years of professional experience rapidly designing and delivering highly reliable products
• 10+ years of electronic product experience designing hardware from concept through production; strong emphasis on full life cycle development of new hardware products and not small incremental updates to legacy hardware
• 10+ years of experience designing and implementing mixed-signal circuit boards from concept through production using processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, multi-GHz Serdes, DRAM interfaces (DDR4), I2C, SPI, operational amplifiers, analog to digital and digital to analog converters, and power supply components
• 10+ years of professional experience testing, troubleshooting, and debugging electronics
• Strong understanding of computers and programming languages (Python, C/C++)
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role

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 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] .

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To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITARhere.

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