Sr. Software Engineer (Platform Team)

SpaceX; Brownsville (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Sr. Software Engineer focused on the Platform Team to design and scale secure AI platforms and proxy systems that empower all SpaceX engineers.

You will own end-to-end platform initiatives, onboard frontier models, and expand compute resources while mentoring peers and driving adoption across teams. You will work with Docker containers as gateways and proxies, integrating with cloud providers and frontier model services to accelerate SpaceX production with trustworthy AI at

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or other engineering discipline; or 7+ years of relevant production software experience.
• Experience developing and operating production platforms (AI/ML infra, developer platforms, or large-scale backend systems).
• Proven ability to build and scale AI gateways, secure proxy systems, or MLOps platforms in fast-paced environments.
• Strong skills with Docker, Kubernetes, security architecture, and cloud/frontier model provider integrations.
• Experience onboarding models, compute orchestration, observability, and infra for high-volume AI usage.
• Ability to mentor others through docs, training, and direct collaboration.
• Entrepreneurial track record identifying opportunities and delivering impact.
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with Go, Java, TypeScript, or Rust.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, architecture, and implementation of secure, scalable AI platforms and proxy systems used company-wide.
• Own complex platform initiatives end-to-end: strategy, implementation, testing, deployment, evolution.
• Drive onboarding of frontier models, expansion of compute resources, and proxy optimization for performance and security.
• Mentor engineers, communicate value, build shared products, prompts, skills, and infrastructure.
• Identify high-value opportunities and deliver solutions turning problems into tested software and deployed models.
• Develop and scale tools for AI risk mitigation, such as code review automation and PR tooling.
• Define best practices for lean, secure applied AI and reliable data systems.
• Collaborate with ML researchers, security, and operations teams across SpaceX.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

7+ years experience in lieu of degree

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Python

Go

TypeScript

Rust

Job description

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is 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 (PLATFORM TEAM)

The Platform Team builds the foundational tooling and security infrastructure that empowers every team at SpaceX to harness AI effectively. This team creates secure, scalable gateways and proxy systems that allow engineers and operators across the company to write code faster, perform advanced data analysis, connect AI to their daily tools and problems, and turn ideas into deployed solutions with confidence. By onboarding new frontier models, expanding compute capacity, optimizing proxy efficiency for logging and control, and building shared prompts, skills, and infrastructure, this team unlocks reliable, high impact AI capabilities across the entire organization.

As a Sr. Software Engineer for SpaceX's AI platform, you will be a key technical leader and entrepreneurial builder focused on the leanest and most effective applied use of AI at SpaceX. You will design and scale platforms that convert engineering know-how into tested software, automation, and reliable data stores at company scale while creating risk-mitigation tools such as intelligent code review and PR assistants. Current systems are built with Docker containers acting as secure gateways and proxies that integrate with any cloud compute provider and multiple frontier model providers. Your work will directly accelerate SpaceX production and development by enabling every team to move faster with trustworthy AI.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the design, architecture, and implementation of secure, scalable AI platforms and proxy systems used company-wide
• Own complex platform initiatives end-to-end, including technical strategy, implementation, testing, deployment, and long‑term evolution
• Drive onboarding of new frontier models, expansion of compute resources, and optimization of proxy systems for performance, security, logging, and control
• Champion adoption across SpaceX by mentoring engineers, communicating value, building shared products/prompts/skills/infrastructure, and providing hands‑on support
• Act as an entrepreneurial force to identify high‑value opportunities and deliver solutions that allow users to rapidly convert problems and ideas into tested software, deployed applications, and trained models on managed, reliable compute
• Develop and scale tools that mitigate business risk, such as advanced AI‑powered code review, PR automation, and safety guardrails
• Define best practices for lean, effective, and secure applied AI that maximizes conversion of engineering expertise into automation and reliable data systems
• Collaborate with and influence cross‑functional stakeholders, including ML researchers, security, and operations teams

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or other engineering discipline and 5+ years of professional experience building production software; OR 7+ years of professional experience building production software in lieu of a degree
• Experience developing and operating production platforms (AI/ML infrastructure, developer platforms, or large‑scale backend systems)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Proven success building and scaling internal AI gateways, secure proxy systems, or MLOps platforms in a fast‑paced environment
• Deep hands‑on experience with Docker, Kubernetes, security architecture, and integrations across multiple cloud and frontier model providers
• Strong background in model onboarding, compute orchestration, observability, and infrastructure for high‑volume AI usage
• Demonstrated ability to enable and mentor others through tools, documentation, training, and direct partnership
• Entrepreneurial track record of identifying opportunities and delivering outsized impact
• Proficiency in Python and strong experience with additional languages (Go, Java, TypeScript, Rust, etc.)
• Experience with infrastructure‑as‑code, CI/CD, and building highly reliable distributed systems
• Passion for AI risk mitigation, developer productivity, and turning complex engineering challenges into simple, scalable AI‑powered outcomes

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.

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.