Software Engineer (Starship)
SpaceX is hiring a Software Engineer (Starship). It pays $125k-$150k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on SpaceX.
Level's read on this job
- Level rates this software engineer role Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include PyTorch, SQL and Unix.
- Level classifies it as a mid-level role.
- Level lists 2,800+ other open roles at SpaceX.
AI in this role
Software Engineer to build data pipelines, applications, and automation for Starship supply chain operations.
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.
SOFTWARE ENGINEER (STARSHIP)
The Starship Supply Chain team is building the machine that builds the machine. We are engineering a supply chain to feed Starfactory and support thousands of Starship launches per year. Our team spans planning, procurement, supplier development, quality, material flow, and inventory.
At the heart of this effort is the Data and Operations Engineering team. We build data pipelines, improve processes, and develop tools and automation that inform, accelerate, and focus the organization.
Aerospace experience is not required to succeed here. Instead, we look for smart, motivated, and collaborative engineers who love solving problems and want to make a meaningful impact on an inspiring mission. You will own challenging problems end-to-end, working alongside a team of enthusiastic engineers to design and deliver solutions that help SpaceX move toward its goals at a rapid pace.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Be the extreme owner of automations, applications, and data pipelines
- Own projects throughout their entire lifecycle: problem identification, solution ideation, architecting, implementation, adoption, monitoring, and iteration
- Query, clean, and transform data to inform and focus all levels of supply chain—from individual contributors to senior executives.
- Collaborate with central software teams on a shared vision for the software ecosystem, project requirements, roadmaps, and implementation details.
- Develop, standardize, and continuously improve key process indicators and other operational metrics
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, engineering, math, physics, or scientific discipline; OR 2+ years of professional experience building software or data pipelines in lieu of a degree
- 1+ years of experience doing data engineering, data science, full stack development, or software engineering via project team, research, internships, and/or professional experience
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Experience managing UNIX-like operating systems via the command line
- Strong proficiency with SQL and experience designing and querying relational databases
- Experience building and maintaining data pipelines and ETL processes
- Experience with data orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Prefect, or dbt)
- Programming experience in Python, C#, or similar languages
- Experience with data analysis and machine learning libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, and PyTorch
- Experience with data visualization and business intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI, Grafana, Metabase, or Tableau)
- Experience developing web apps, dashboards, or self-service platforms for non-technical stakeholders
- Experience with version control (Git), CI/CD, testing, and monitoring
- Strong understanding of data quality, statistical analysis, and data visualization best practices
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be able to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to meet major milestones
- Must be able to travel - up to 10% work week travel may be required to other sites
- This position is based in Hawthorne, CA and requires being onsite - remote work not considered
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay Range:
Level 1: $125,000 - $150,000
Level 2: $145,000 - $175,000
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, carryover, and use requirements of the law.
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.
How we rate this
Software Engineer (Starship) at SpaceX rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Also common in software engineer jobs at this level
Pay
- This job starts at
- $125k
- Typical software engineer job
- $168k
This posting starts 25% below the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where software engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where data pipelines was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where etl was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where automation was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where supply chain was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Software Engineering, Data Pipelines, ETL, Automation, and Supply Chain. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
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