Mechanical Engineer, Electro-mechanical (Starlink)

About Spacex

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.

Job Summary

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 provides fast, reliable internet to 8M+ 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.

SpaceX Gateways are responsible for delivering internet from the ground to the satellites – they must be cost effective, capable of high performance in all weather conditions, and reliable over long periods of time. The TWTA team is advancing state of the art RF vacuum electronics, building hardware an order of magnitude faster than traditional industry, for an order of magnitude less cost. This role will own complex hardware from cradle to grave and interact regularly with senior leadership during critical design phases, ushering in the next era of internet and delivering internet to those that need it most.

Key Responsibilities

• Own hardware from conceptual design through high volume production and ground station operation
• Design the factory and processes to enable rapid, reliable, and low-cost manufacturing of state of the art vacuum technology
• Develop, characterize, and produce new materials
• Rapidly iterate on designs, analysis and test to inform high level systems trades and steer overall product direction
• Develop design criteria, collaborate on requirements, and drive system-level optimization
• Establish an efficient product lifecycle starting in the supply chain all the way through final integration that balances cost, complexity, and quality; work closely with partner teams to design and realize an efficient in-house production line
• Perform environmental and performance testing on hardware to validate analysis and demonstrate compliance to design criteria
• Demonstrate extreme ownership of product outcomes at every stage of development and production
• Work with partner teams to develop novel manufacturing procedures

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a engineering or STEM discipline
• 1+ years of professional experience (including internships) with mechanical/electromechanical design, analysis, testing, and/or manufacturing

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline
• 3+ years of professional experience