Sr. Electrical Design Engineer, Satellites (Starlink)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Redmond, Northern (WA, KY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX in Redmond, WA seeks a Senior Electrical Design Engineer for Satellites (Starlink) to own hardware from concept through production and on-orbit performance. You will collaborate across avionics, payload, mechanical, thermal, software, and test teams to deliver high-reliability electronics for space systems.

The role emphasizes end-to-end hardware development, from schematic capture to PCB layout and hardware bring-up, with hands-on integration and vigorous qualification testing in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or physics.
• 5+ years of industry experience designing circuits, electronic products, or hardware.
• Strong understanding of Python and C/C++.

Responsibilities

• Lead hardware design from concept to production, including trades, schematics, layout, prototyping, testing, and on-orbit performance.
• Get hands-on and support hardware through production, satellite integration, and flight.
• Collaborate with mechanical, thermal, software, test engineering, supply chain, silicon design to deliver integrated hardware.
• Challenge assumptions, question requirements, learn from mistakes, and work with an open mind.
• Work closely with engineers from adjacent disciplines to deliver high-performance hardware.

Skills

Python

C/C++

PCB design

Power electronics

High-speed digital

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE/CE/Physics

Master's degree in EE/CE

Tools

FPGA

Ethernet

DDR4

I2C

SPI

Job description

Sr. Electrical Design Engineer, Satellites (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.

SpaceX is leveraging its 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. As we continue to upgrade and expand the constellation, we’re looking for best-in-class engineers to join the team.

As an Electrical Design Engineer on Starlink, you’ll have ownership over the entire life-cycle of the hardware that enables this connectivity, and sits at the intersection of electrical, mechanical, thermal analysis, software, and antenna/RF engineering. Challenges range from high-speed digital communications, analog, network system integration, power electronics, and RF devices. Your work will include everything from system design and schematic capture to PCB layout oversight; as well as hardware troubleshooting to driving requirements for the underlying silicon and complete product production and test. This also includes driving successful business outcomes across interdisciplinary subsystems of the satellite, inclusive of mechanical and software engineering peers among other engineering disciplines. Sub-teams include:

• Avionics: The backbone of Starlink satellites are the bus avionics systems which control the vehicle, convert and distribute kilowatts of power, route high-speed vehicle and user traffic, and connect satellites to each other via our state-of-the-art Space Lasers! The team is responsible for the design, development, and ultimate success of these avionics systems from concept to grave.
• Payload: Starlink satellites employ industry leading phased arrays, parabolic antennas, and fully custom compute + modem electronics in order to deliver this connectivity to our customers. The Payload team is responsible for the design, development, and ultimate success of this hardware from concept to grave.

Your placement on these teams will be determined throughout the interviewing process after factoring in technical fit, expertise, and your personal preference.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Rapidly develop high-reliability electronics for satellites and spacecraft.
• Drive system trades, requirements capture, component selection, analysis, schematic capture, PCB layout, prototyping, hardware bring-up, debugging, documentation, manufacturing, test, and on-orbit performance of complex electrical designs
• Get hands-on and support hardware through production, satellite integration, and flight
• Work closely with engineers from adjacent disciplines (mechanical, thermal, software, test engineering, supply chain, silicon design, etc.) to deliver tightly integrated, high-performance hardware
• Challenge assumptions, question requirements, learn from your mistakes, and approach problems with an open mind

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or physics
• 5+ years of industry experience designing circuits, electronic products, or hardware

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or similar engineering degree
• 2+ years of professional experience rapidly designing and delivering highly reliable products
• 2+ years of electronic product experience designing hardware from concept through production; strong emphasis on full life-cycle development of new hardware products and not small incremental updates to legacy hardware
• 2+ years of experience designing and implementing mixed-signal circuit boards from concept through production using processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, multi-GHz Serdes, DRAM interfaces (DDR4), I2C, SPI, operational amplifiers, analog to digital and digital to analog converters, and power supply components
• 2+ years of professional experience testing, troubleshooting, and debugging electronics
• Strong understanding of computers and programming languages (Python, C/C++)
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role
• 2+ years working on aerospace systems

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS