Principal Software Engineer (Platform Team)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP in Bastrop, TX is seeking a Principal Software Engineer for the Platform Team. This role focuses on defining the technical architecture for AI platforms and leading initiatives that empower teams across SpaceX.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in building scalable AI/ML infrastructure, demonstrating leadership in technical vision and mentoring engineers. Strong skills in Docker, Kubernetes, and Python are essential. Responsibilities include optimizing proxy systems and driving cultural change towards AI-first workflows.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience building and scaling production platforms.
• Experience designing and operating large-scale AI/ML platforms.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the long-term technical vision for AI platform.
• Lead high-impact initiatives with ownership over strategy and design.
• Oversee onboarding of frontier models and massive compute scaling.

Skills

AI/ML platforms

Docker

Kubernetes

Python

Infrastructure-as-code

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or another engineering discipline

Job description

Principal Software Engineer (Platform Team)

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.

Principal Software Engineer (Platform Team)

The Platform Team builds the foundational tooling and security infrastructure that empowers every team at SpaceX to harness AI effectively. This team creates secure, scalable gateways and proxy systems that allow engineers and operators to write code faster, perform advanced data analysis, connect AI to daily tools, and turn ideas into deployed solutions with confidence. By onboarding new frontier models, expanding compute capacity, optimizing proxy efficiency for logging and control, and building shared prompts, skills, and infrastructure, the team unlocks reliable, high‑impact AI capabilities across the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Define and drive the long‑term technical vision and architecture for SpaceX’s AI platform and security infrastructure
• Lead high‑impact initiatives with full ownership over strategy, design, implementation, and successful company‑wide rollout
• Oversee onboarding of frontier models, massive compute scaling, and continuous optimization of proxy systems for security, efficiency, logging, and control
• Lead adoption efforts at scale — establishing standards, mentoring senior engineers, building reusable assets, and driving cultural change toward AI‑first workflows
• Proactively identify and execute on the highest‑leverage opportunities to turn ideas into production software, trained models, and automated systems with managed, reliable compute
• Invent and scale advanced risk‑mitigation capabilities (AI code review, automated PR tools, safety systems) that protect and accelerate the business
• Establish best practices and technical direction for lean, secure, and maximally effective applied AI across the company
• Serve as a key technical advisor and collaborator with leadership and cross‑functional teams to align platform capabilities with SpaceX’s most ambitious goals

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or another engineering discipline and 7+ years of professional experience building and scaling production platforms; OR 9+ years of professional experience building and scaling production platforms in lieu of a degree
• Experience designing and operating large‑scale AI/ML platforms, internal developer platforms, or mission‑critical infrastructure

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrated success architecting and scaling AI gateways, secure proxy layers, or enterprise MLOps platforms that serve hundreds of users
• Expert‑level experience with Docker/Kubernetes ecosystems, zero‑trust security models, and multi‑cloud/frontier‑model integrations
• Deep expertise in MLOps, distributed compute, model lifecycle management, and building highly observable, reliable systems
• Strong history of enabling organization‑wide impact through technical leadership, mentoring, and creation of shared platforms and standards
• Entrepreneurial leadership with a proven ability to spot and deliver transformative solutions
• Mastery of Python and broad expertise across modern languages and tooling
• Extensive experience with infrastructure‑as‑code, advanced observability, and building platforms that others love to use
• Deep passion for responsible AI, developer velocity, and converting deep engineering knowledge into reliable automation at planetary scale
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about 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, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.