Propulsion Engineer (Raptor Final Assembly & Tube Shop)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, vision and dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Paid parental leave

Stock options

3 weeks of paid vacation

Job summary

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP is seeking a Propulsion Engineer in Hawthorne, CA. The role involves overseeing the assembly and testing processes, improving production efficiency, and ensuring quality standards. Applicants should have a bachelor's degree in engineering and related design experience. The compensation ranges from $100,000 to $135,000 annually depending on experience, along with comprehensive benefits including medical coverage, stock options, and paid leave.

Qualifications

• 1+ year of mechanical design and manufacturing experience from industry or collegiate projects.
• Solid understanding of machining, welding, drilling, and automation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the build and test processes for Raptor final assembly & tube shop production area.
• Resolve build issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.
• Streamline existing production builds to minimize costs while improving quality.

Skills

Mechanical design experience

Manufacturing experience

Ability to work with minimal supervision

Experience with Design for Manufacturability and Assembly

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, or manufacturing engineering

Tools

NX (UG or equivalent) CAD

Job description

Propulsion Engineer (Raptor Final Assembly & Tube Shop)

Hawthorne, CA

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.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the build and test processes for the Raptor final assembly & tube shop production area.
• Develop, qualify, and refine assembly processes to enable high‑volume production of engines.
• Think creatively; question the status quo; challenge engineering and manufacturing requirements to drive efficient production of Raptor engines on schedule through collaboration with multidisciplinary engineering, production, and external vendor teams.
• Work with design engineering to develop design and manufacturing standards that reduce final assembly burden; implement a maintainable and lasting system of reasonable and powerful requirements.
• Resolve build issues, disposition nonconforming conditions, perform root cause analysis, and implement robust corrective actions.
• Own tooling design, fabrication, qualification, and improvement, based on analysis and data.
• Design tooling for new and existing products to support rate production.
• Streamline existing production builds to minimize cost while improving quality and efficiency.
• Implement standard practices, troubleshooting guides, and standard repair procedures, including review and approval of planning documents.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, or manufacturing engineering.
• 1+ year of mechanical design and manufacturing experience from industry or collegiate engineering projects such as Formula SAE, Baja SAE, or Design Build Fly.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience building and testing fluid and electrical systems, and interpreting schematics.
• Documentation and configuration management experience.
• Experience writing test plans, procedures and providing go/no‑go judgment and rationale.
• Experience taking products through the development cycle to full volume production.
• Solid understanding of a variety of manufacturing processes, including machining, welding, drilling, and automation.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Experience with Design for Manufacturability and Assembly.
• Experience with NX (UG or equivalent) CAD and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) for component and tooling design.
• Process development, facility and line layouts.
• Experience in process development, value stream layout, PFMEA, and error proofing.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to work directly with the hardware on the floor for extended periods of time.
• Position may require extended hours and weekend work.

Compensation and Benefits

Pay range:

Propulsion Engineer/Level I: $100,000 – $115,000 per year

Propulsion Engineer/Level II: $110,000 – $135,000 per year

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on job‑related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long‑term incentives in the form of company stock, stock options or long‑term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive comprehensive medical, vision and dental coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan, short‑ and long‑term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and other discounts and perks. You may accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to company policy which satisfies or exceeds the law.

Export compliance: To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity Employer: 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.