Sr. Software Engineer (Platform Team)
SpaceX is hiring a Sr. Software Engineer (Platform Team). Level rates it ; you can apply on SpaceX.
Level's read on this job
- On Level's scale, this software engineer role is Builds AI ●●●●: the job is building AI systems.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include Docker, MLOps and software engineering.
- Level classifies it as a senior role.
- Level lists 2,800+ other open roles at SpaceX.
AI in this role
Senior Software Engineer designing and scaling secure AI platforms, proxy systems, and tooling to accelerate AI adoption across 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.
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.
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
Sr. Software Engineer (Platform Team) at SpaceX rates 85 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.
- ●●●● 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
- Typical software engineer job
- $168k
This posting doesn't list pay. Use the typical software engineer figure when pay comes up. See software engineer jobs
Questions you could be asked
- How do you monitor a model once it's live, and how do you know it needs retraining?
- Tell me about a project where software engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where platform engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where ai infrastructure was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where security was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: ML Ops, Software Engineering, Platform Engineering, AI Infrastructure, and Security. 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.
- Lead with what you built, trained or shipped. This role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.
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