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.
NEW GRADUATE ENGINEER, STARSHIP COMPONENTS
The Starship Components team develops the most advanced spacecraft and launch vehicle components in the world. The engineers of this team are hardware experts for valves, regulators, electromechanical actuators, pumps, and explosives that drive critical capabilities on the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle—from propellant flow and ullage gas thrusters to flap/fin actuators. They design, machine, build, and test components to operate in extreme environments, with temperatures ranging from 80 to 800 K, pressures beyond 800 barA, and a life capability of >100 flights. As an engineer of this team, you will use your knowledge, experience, and creativity to develop novel solutions at the cutting edge of space technology. Following a successful interview process, you will be offered a specialized role within the product lifecycle (manufacturing, design, testing, machining), but as the extreme owner of your hardware, you will need to flex across these disciplines to ensure mission success.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Manufacturing
- Partner with production and design to accelerate to a weekly Starship delivery rate, striving for high yield and automotive-level costs. Improve designs for assembly/testing, implement linear production flow, design tooling, develop welds, maintain work instructions, train others, and cut in targeted automation.
- Design
- Assemble design criteria, select an architecture, size the component for proper force margin, perform structural analysis, generate detailed part drawings, perform qualification testing, present design reviews, and monitor hardware performance in vehicle operations.
- Target zero in-flight anomalies of your hardware and reduce component-caused delays in production and launch. Spearhead component root-cause investigations in the factory and on the vehicle, and implement fixes to prevent repeat failures.
- Testing
- Prove out prototypes in R&D, define hardware capabilities in qualification tests to failure (vibration, thermal, life, climactic), and develop per-unit acceptance test plans under flight-like conditions (cryogenic temperatures, high voltage/pressure).
- Develop automated test systems to validate flight hardware rapidly and reliably and introduce state-of -the-art infrastructure to coax out failures on the ground. Be rigorous in the safe operation of highly energetic equipment.
- Machining
- For individual parts, define the manufacturing strategy (casting, forging, machining), implement DFM feedback, perform CNC programming on lathes/mills, select cutting tools, prove out the machining process, generate an inspection plan, and enable lights-out machining.