Software Engineer, Design Engineering (Starlink)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

401(k) plan

Medical, vision, dental

Paid time off

Shuttle service Seattle–Redmond

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Software Engineer, Design Engineering for Starlink in Redmond, WA. You will develop web applications in a .NET micro‑service environment running on Kubernetes, focusing on reliability, performance, and observability for the Starlink platform.

Responsibilities include designing scalable architectures, collaborating with multiple teams, and driving continuous improvement. A STEM degree with 1+ years of full‑stack experience or 3+ years without a degree is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a STEM discipline and 1+ years of experience building full‑stack software; OR 3+ years of professional experience building full‑stack software in lieu of a degree (internship experience is applicable)

Responsibilities

• Develop well‑architected, responsive, and performant web applications
• Develop highly reliable and available software systems for Starlink
• Design and implement highly available, fault‑tolerant networks that operate for long periods of time with minimal maintenance at scale
• Full‑stack application development (a .NET micro‑service architecture running in Kubernetes)
• Focus on continuous monitoring and alerting to foster data‑driven business decisions and improve the quality and observability of our systems
• Work closely with internal partners to drive successful outcomes for the business
• Collaborate with other engineering teams across Starlink to advance our engineering process in architecture, design, and code reviews
• Deep dive into your users’ problems to find and create efficient solutions
• Bring your voice to the table in team collaborations on architecture, design, and code reviews

Skills

Python

C#

.NET

Go

Scala

Java

Docker

Kubernetes

PostgreSQL

SQL Server

CI/CD

Profiling

Build systems

Unix/Linux

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a STEM discipline

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD tooling

Make/Bazel/Pants/Gradle

Job description

Software Engineer, Design Engineering (Starlink)

Redmond, WA

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.

At SpaceX we’re leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential global impact and are looking for best-in-class engineers to help maximize Starlink’s utility for communities and businesses around the globe.

The UXSW team at SpaceX is responsible for the digital experience for millions of Starlink customers. We build the digital interfaces across mobile app and web to help users set up their Starlink, monitor outages, manage their service, and contact support. We also build the tooling for Starlink support associates and an LLM‑powered chatbot to solve customers’ issues before they reach out. We don’t have project managers; engineers on the team are directly responsible for delivering the best internet experience from space for humans everywhere on Earth.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop well‑architected, responsive, and performant web applications
• Develop highly reliable and available software systems for Starlink
• Design and implement highly available, fault‑tolerant networks that operate for long periods of time with minimal maintenance at scale
• Full‑stack application development (our system is a .NET micro‑service architecture running in Kubernetes)
• Focus on continuous monitoring and alerting to foster data‑driven business decisions and improve the quality and observability of our systems
• Work closely with internal partners to drive successful outcomes for the business
• Collaborate with other engineering teams across Starlink to advance our engineering process in architecture, design, and code reviews
• Deep dive into your users’ problems to find and create efficient solutions
• Bring your voice to the table in team collaborations on architecture, design, and code reviews

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a STEM discipline and 1+ years of experience building full‑stack software; OR 3+ years of professional experience building full‑stack software in lieu of a degree (internship experience is applicable)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Programming experience in Python, C#, .NET, Go, Scala, Java, or similar object‑oriented language
• Production experience with Docker and Kubernetes
• Database experience with PostgreSQL, SQL Server, or similar database technologies
• Experience with version control, continuous integration, and continuous delivery concepts
• Expertise in profiling and improving application performance
• Experience with build systems (Make, Bazel/Pants/Buck, Gradle) and package management tools (pip, npm)
• Strong attention to detail
• Experience with UNIX‑like operating systems and CI/CD tools
• A drive to deliver exceptional user experiences for customers and willingness to own all outcomes

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:
Level I: $125,000.00 – $150,000.00 per year
Level II: $145,000.00 – $175,000.00 per year

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 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 access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long‑term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees in Washington State accrue paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law. Company shuttles are offered to employees for round‑trip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday.

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.