Sr. Software Engineer, AI Infrastructure (Starshield)

Xapply; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 165,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical coverage

401(k)

Paid time off

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Senior Software Engineer for AI Infrastructure (Starshield) to design, operate, and scale GPU/CPU infrastructures supporting critical national security missions. You will deploy on-premise resources, build scalable software, and collaborate across teams to deliver reliable AI clusters.

The role emphasizes Kubernetes, Terraform/Ansible automation, and developing maintainable systems while mentoring junior engineers and guiding technical excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems/IT, or an engineering discipline
• 5+ years of professional experience with Linux operating systems or 7+ years in software/DevOps in lieu of a degree
• 5+ years of experience with Kubernetes
• Experience with Terraform, Ansible, or other infrastructure tools
• Experience with containerization technologies (OCI containers, Kubernetes)
• Experience scripting in Bash, Python, or similar languages
• Development experience in Python, C++, or Go

Responsibilities

• Manage GPU/CPU infrastructure deployments to Top Secret data centers
• Provide support for GPU as a service on bare metal hardware and virtualized platforms
• Design, validate, and productize AI cluster solutions (100k+ GPUs)
• Develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise Kubernetes/AI clusters and OSes
• Deploy and manage core infrastructure such as databases, monitoring and distributed storage
• Collaborate with AI engineers to create scalable, operable products
• Oversee lifecycles from design to deployment and refinement
• Maintain high availability through monitoring and alerting
• Identify improvements and create innovative high-availability solutions
• Mentor and train junior engineers
• Lead the team to technical excellence as a senior engineer

Skills

Kubernetes

Linux

Python

Go

C++

Bash

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/Engineering

Tools

Terraform

Ansible

Docker

Bazel

Makefiles

Job description

Description:

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.

SR. SOFTWARE ENGINEER, AI INFRASTRUCTURE (STARSHIELD)

At SpaceX 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 – receivers that allow users to connect within minutes, and the software that brings it all together. 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.

As an engineer focused on Starshield's software and GPU infrastructure, you will design, operate and scale the infrastructure which supports critical national security missions. These positions cover a variety of areas ranging from Site Reliability Engineering, Developer Operations, and GPU platforms. You will develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise compute resources, create highly scalable and maintainable software products, and directly collaborate with engineering across the board.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage GPU/CPU infrastructure deployments to Top Secret data centers


• Manage and provide support for GPU as a service for external customers on bare metal hardware and virtualized platforms


• Design, validate, and productize solutions for AI clusters (100k+ GPU scale)


• Develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise Kubernetes\\AI clusters, and operating systems


• Deploy and manage core infrastructure such as databases, monitoring and distributed storage


• Closely collaborate with AI engineers to create highly scalable, operable, and maintainable products


• Engage in and improve the whole lifecycle of services -- from inception and design, through deployment, operation and refinement


• Monitoring and alerting supporting systems to have high availability


• Identify areas for improvement and create innovative solutions that enable high system availability


• Mentor and train junior engineers


• As a senior engineer you must lead the team to technical excellence – your decisions guide the team

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems/IT, or an engineering discipline and 5+ years of professional experience with Linux operating systems; OR 7+ years of professional experience in software, DevOps, or site reliability engineering in lieu of a degree


• 5+ year of experience with Kubernetes


• 5+ year of experience managing Linux operating systems


• Experience with Terraform, Ansible, or other infrastructure tools


• Experience with containerization technologies (i.e. OCI containers, Kubernetes)


• Experience scripting in Bash, Python, or other similar languages


• Development experience in Python, C++, or Go

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 5+ years of experience with Python and Python-based development frameworks


• Experience managing Kubernetes clusters, not just using them


• Knowledge of Linux boot process and systems configuration


• Deep understanding of testing, continuous integration, build, deployment & continuous monitoring


• Understanding of relevant build technologies, such as Bazel and Makefiles


• Focus on performance bottlenecks and performance improvement techniques


• Understanding of distributed databases and data modeling


• Experience with automatically managing thousands of servers (eg: Terraform or Ansible)


• Strong networking knowledge of TCP/IP


• Cloud virtualization experience (as the cloud provider)


• Experience using NVIDIA GPU deployment stacks (Blackwell/Rubin)


• Excellent communications skills with the ability to communicate with customers, peers, management etc. in both formal and informal situations


• Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

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


• Must be willing to travel domestically and globally in the future when 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, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
Level 3: $165,000.00 - $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 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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual