Mechanical Engineer - Tooling/Controls, Satellites (Starlink)

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.

As a member of the Starlink satellite mechanical team you will stand up the in-house, high-rate manufacturing tooling used to make custom optical fiber connections for Starlink. You will get to own the whole production system: establish requirements, processes, and design custom machinery to enable high-rate production. Using your expertise in mechanical design and machine controls, you will implement, simplify, and automate high-reliability manufacturing processes to scale production for a variety of Starlink vehicles. Your tooling will be used by different teams at Starlink spanning from operator-assisted stations to automated cells, and will build mission-critical hardware that is pivotal to the success of our next generation satellites. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Stand up internal high-rate optical fiber harness termination for Starlink, taking the process from development equipment to production-capable machinery
• Design and develop tooling, fixtures, mechanisms, and automation equipment to terminate, assemble, and test flight hardware at rate
• Own the electromechanical stack on the equipment you design: structure, motion, sensors, actuators, and machine controls, from concept through commissioning
• Own projects through their full lifecycle — concept, fabrication, controls bring-up, and production introduction
• Partner with flight harness responsible engineers, quality, and production to develop process and equipment in parallel with the product
• Solve complex problems around precision alignment, process repeatability, cycle time, and first-pass yield
• Assemble, wire, program, debug, and commission the equipment you design on the production floor

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, mechatronics, electrical, manufacturing, or a related engineering/STEM discipline
• 1+ years of experience designing mechanical systems using 3D CAD software and 2D drawings (internships, co-ops, and university projects can apply)
• 1+ years of experience implementing controls on mechanical systems - motion, sensors, actuators, PLC or equivalent (internships, co-ops, and university project can apply)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 3+ years of experience in custom machine design, production tooling, or automated assembly equipment
• Experience with electromechanical systems: motors, actuators, linear rails, bearings, pneumatics, sensors, and precision locating features
• Hands-on experience with machine controls: PLC or industrial motion controllers, servo/stepper systems, I/O, safety circuits, and HMI
• Familiarity with precision assembly processes — fiber optics, cable/harness build, potting/curing, or similarly tight-tolerance joining and inspection
• Ability to perform structures and mechanism hand calculations; design for manufacturability and assembly
• Familiarity with drafting standards and GD&T
• Solid understanding of common manufacturing processes (mills, lathes, CNC, sheet metal, welding) and hands-on build experience
• Experience with Siemens NX and Teamcenter, or equivalent CAD/PDM systems
• Experience with manufacturing process development, PFMEA, and error-proofing

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to support mission critical deadlines 

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 in Washington State accrue paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law. Company shuttles are offered to employees for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday.

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.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.