Principal Starship Engineer
Description For Principal Starship Engineer
SpaceX is seeking a Principal Starship Engineer to lead the development of their ambitious Starship program. This role is critical in advancing SpaceX's mission of making humanity a multi-planetary species. As a Principal Starship Engineer, you will be at the forefront of spacecraft design and development, working on cutting-edge technology that will shape the future of space exploration.
Your responsibilities will include leading interdisciplinary trades, reporting program status and risks, setting a scrappy and positive culture within the team, hiring and mentoring team members, capturing customer mission requirements, developing system requirements, and leading reviews with customers. This role requires a combination of technical expertise, leadership skills, and a passion for space exploration.
The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in engineering with at least 5 years of industry experience, and 7+ years of experience leading teams to produce engineering products. Preferred qualifications include a Master's degree in aerospace engineering or a relevant discipline, experience with launch vehicles and spacecraft systems, excellent communication skills, and significant experience in leading cross-functional teams and performing system architecture trades.
This position offers a competitive salary range of $165,000 to $230,000 per year, along with comprehensive benefits including medical coverage, a 401(k) plan, stock options, and paid time off. The role is based in Starbase, TX, and may require extended hours and travel.
Join SpaceX in their mission to revolutionize space technology and become a key player in humanity's journey to Mars. If you're passionate about advancing the commercial space industry and thrive in a fast-paced, demanding start-up atmosphere, this could be the perfect opportunity for you to make a significant impact on the future of space exploration.
Responsibilities For Principal Starship Engineer
- Close architectural trades by leading and arbitrating interdisciplinary trades
- Responsible for reporting program status and risks at a regular cadence internally and externally
- Set a scrappy, positive, and hardware-rich culture within the team with a sense of urgency towards making us a space-faring civilization
- Hire and mentor individual contributors and people leaders within the Starship team
- Capture and distill customer mission requirements from a variety of external stakeholders into actionable development objectives and verification plans
- Develop system requirements and interface control documents based on trade study results
- Lead reviews with customers and ensure that technical contract deliverables are delivered on time and per the customer's expectation
Requirements For Principal Starship Engineer
- Bachelor's degree in engineering with a minimum of 5+ years of industry experience
- 7+ years of experience leading teams to produce engineering products
- Must be available to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to support critical milestones or operations shifts
- Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg
- Must be willing to travel to other SpaceX offices and customer locations as needed, up to 25%
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State
Benefits For Principal Starship Engineer
- Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Short and long-term disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid parental leave
- 3 weeks of paid vacation
- 10 or more paid holidays per year
- 5 days of sick leave per year for exempt employees
- Long-term incentives (company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards)
- Potential discretionary bonuses
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Various discounts and perks
