Sr. Cybersecurity Engineer (Starshield)

SpaceX; El Segundo, Washington (CA, District of Columbia); On-site; USD 170,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision, dental

401(k) retirement plan

Disability and life insurance

Parental leave

3 weeks paid vacation + 10+ holidays

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Sr. Cybersecurity Engineer (Starshield) in California to lead threat detection, incident response, and vulnerability discovery for the Starshield program.

You will run red-team exercises, develop countermeasures, and drive improvements across security operations while collaborating with engineers and incident teams. The role requires a Top Secret level clearance, willingness to work extended hours, and a strong background in networks, large-scale systems, and blue/green

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer security, or a similar field and 5+ years in cybersecurity for active production systems; OR 7+ years in cybersecurity for active production systems.
• Experience implementing systems for adversary detection and incident response.

Responsibilities

• Be prepared for immediate response to active threats against our systems.
• Implement Starshield's cyber defense strategy and develop countermeasures.
• Conduct red-team style exercises to uncover vulnerabilities and practice attack responses.
• Improve incident discovery and response with internal security tools.
• Collaborate across teams to deliver security features and improve detection.

Skills

Cybersecurity

Incident response

Vulnerability triage

Blue Team

Red Team

Clear communication

Ambiguity tolerance

Security engineering

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS / CE / security

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

the company 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 the company is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal ofenabling human life on Mars.

SR. CYBERSECURITY ENGINEER (STARSHIELD)

At the company we’re leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy the Starshield constellation. Starshield is the world’s largest US government satellite constellation and is tasked with providing immediate access to critical intelligence and national security data for the US government anywhere on the globe. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – in-space sensors, on-the-ground receivers, data processing, and the mesh network that provides lightning-fast connectivity to users around the world. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starshield's global impact and are looking for best-in-class engineers to help us further our ambitious goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• This team's priority is to be prepared for immediate response to any active threat against our systems.
• Implement Starshield's cyber defense strategy. Continually assess the landscape of cyber threats and develop specific countermeasures for the Starshield systems. Continually run "red-team" style exercises to both discover vulnerabilities as well as to practice the tactics the team will deploy in the event of attacks.
• Participate in vulnerability discovery efforts across Starshield. Run internal bug hunts to search for undiscovered vulnerabilities. Develop a team culture of continual curiosity and open-ended exploration. Utilize the latest tools, including AI, to accelerate both discovery and fixing of bugs in the system.
• Drive improvements into our incident discovery and response. This team will collaborate closely with the team building the internal systems we use to detect security events, and help drive improvement in our ability to discover active attempts at network intrusions.
• Work across teams to get results. This team will collaborate closely with the engineers implementing security features into our systems, as well as the team developing our internal incident discovery tools.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer security, or a similar field, and 5+ years of professional experience in cybersecurity for active production systems; OR 7+ years of experience in cybersecurity for active production systems.
• Experience in implementing systems for adversary detection and incident response.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Expertise in computer networks and large-scale distributed compute platforms.
• Expertise in vulnerability discovery and triage.
• Experience in continuity of operations planning.
• Experience with performing Blue Team or Red Team assessments.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to nontechnical audiences.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and to learn new technologies quickly.
• Advanced degree in a technical or engineering discipline.
• Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, the company reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:Level 3: $170,000.00 - $265,000.00

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

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at the company. 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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.

the company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with the company 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 the company’s Affinitive Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out [e-mail].