Principal Mechanical Engineer (Starship)

InvestedintheMission; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to own design and fabrication of Starship flight hardware, including propellant tanks and primary structures. You will work hands‑on with a world‑class production team, applying FEA, design for manufacturability, and rigorous testing to deliver reliable spaceflight hardware.

You will lead end‑to‑end design and analysis, collaborate across systems, and develop expertise in manufacturability for sheet metal and subassemblies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
• 7+ years of mechanical design and analysis experience.
• Experience with FEA or multiphysics packages (NASTRAN, ABAQUS, ANSYS).

Responsibilities

• Develop design concepts and size vehicle structures based on flight loads.
• Collaborate with peers to balance mass, cost and capability.
• Create detailed designs and NX CAD models for components and assemblies.
• Build and run finite element models to validate designs.
• Apply hand calculations to iterate designs rapidly.
• Test joints and elements to prove strength and reliability.
• Support assembly in the factory and witness flight readiness.

Skills

Mechanical design

Finite element analysis

Cross‑functional team work

Design for manufacturability

Materials selection

Programming (Python/ Matlab)

CAD modeling (NX)

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

NX CAD

NASTRAN

ABAQUS

ANSYS

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.

PRINCIPAL MECHANICAL ENGINEER (STARSHIP)

Our elite Starbase team is working on our planet's toughest and most audacious project: making humanity multi-planetary. The mechanical engineer is responsible for designing and building flight hardware such as propellant tanks, integration interfaces, primary structures, and structural subassemblies. You will be empowered to make real-time decisions, solve complex problems on the fly, and own end-to-end processes. The role will require the readiness to develop subject matter expertise in design for manufacturability, specifically those related to sheet metal and subassembly design and fabrication. If you are ready to be a hardware owner, eager to get out from behind a desk, and be hands‑on working alongside a world‑class production team, this may be the right role for you.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop design concepts from a clean sheet and size vehicle structures based on flight loads


• Collaborate with peers from different vehicle systems to develop designs that balance mass, cost, and capability


• Create detailed designs to implement structural concepts and generate CAD models in NX for components, assemblies, and vehicle integration


• Build finite element models to assess your designs in detail and analyze your structures to prove they meet the needs of the vehicle


• Apply first‑order hand calculations and empirical formulas to assess and iterate on your designs rapidly


• Validate your designs by building development articles to test individual joints and design elements for strength


• Perform structural testing on subassemblies and full sections of the airframe


• Partner with build engineers and technicians to improve your designs


• Support the assembly of your hardware in the factory, witness your designs being brought to life daily, and watch them take flight and make history

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline


• 7+ years of experience with mechanical design and analysis

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience designing, analyzing, building, and testing high performance, mechanical systems


• Experience working within interdisciplinary teams to develop solutions to challenging and complex problems


• Experience with FEA or multiphysics simulation package (e.g. NASTRAN, ABAQUS, ANSYS)


• Experience designing and executing qualification testing


• Strong understanding of mechanical first principles and structural analysis methodologies


• Proficiency in selecting materials and manufacturing methods for mechanical components


• Analytical/scientific programming experience (i.e. Python, Matlab, Excel)


• Self‑motivated with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary


• Stand: Up to 3 hours per day


• Sit: Up to 6 hours per day


• Push/Pull: Up to 50lbs. (unassisted) Up to 15 minutes per day


• Overhead reach: Up to 3 hours per day


• Walk: Up to 3 hours per day


• Lift/Carry: Up to 25lbs. (unassisted) Up to 15 minutes per day


• Climb (ladder/stairs): Up to 1 hour per day


• Kneel/Crouch: N/A


• Upper body twist: N/A


• Ability to work in temperatures over 80 degrees: up to 30 minutes per day


• Candidate must be capable of safely working at heights (up to 500ft), in confined spaces, using an air purifying respirator, and performing the physical requirements of the job listed in the job description


• Candidate may be required to complete a pre‑employment questionnaire and/or physical to confirm these capabilities, which may include a medical history review

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 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].