Mechanical Design Engineer

About the role

Become a vital part of the Propulsion Components team at SpaceX, where you will be responsible for the design and development of essential hardware for the Starship and Super Heavy programs. This position involves managing the entire lifecycle of fluid control devices, actuators, and electromechanical assemblies, from the initial design phase to vehicle integration. You will be working in an environment that demands resilience, as the components will be subjected to extreme conditions, including temperatures ranging from 80 to 800 Kelvin and pressures that can exceed 800 bar.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Develop and design various components such as valves, regulators, solenoids, and actuators for the Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicles.
• Take ownership of the entire product lifecycle, which includes analysis, production layout, assembly, environmental qualification, and integration into the vehicle.
• Plan and conduct rigorous testing, including shock, vibration, thermal cycling, pressure cycling, and climatic exposure, while documenting results and building necessary fixtures.
• Work closely with manufacturing, production, testing, and supply chain teams to achieve ambitious build rates, aiming for more than one fully stacked vehicle per month.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation, including drawings, specifications, analyses, and risk assessments to ensure clarity and compliance.
• Lead investigations into root causes of issues that arise during development, production, testing, integration, and launch phases, implementing solutions to prevent future occurrences.
• Participate in system architecture discussions, considering component performance and limitations to inform design decisions.
• Strive for zero in-flight component anomalies and minimize delays in production or launch schedules through proactive design and testing.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in physics or a related engineering discipline is required.
• At least one year of experience in mechanical design or hands-on manufacturing is essential.

Nice to have

• A minimum of one year of experience in designing and analyzing mechanical systems through professional roles, academic projects, or research endeavors.
• A master's degree or at least one year of professional experience in mechanical or aerospace engineering is preferred.
• Experience in building, testing, and troubleshooting mechanical systems is advantageous.
• Familiarity with fluid, gas, thermal, high-voltage, or electronic systems is a plus.
• Knowledge of test instrumentation, including pressure transducers, thermocouples, RTDs, relays, and solenoid valves, is beneficial.
• Understanding of gear trains, actuators, motors, valves, regulators, or other devices used for position and flow control is desirable.
• A solid foundation in the principles of solid mechanics and dynamics is important.
• Leadership experience in project or research teams is a valuable asset.
• Strong communication skills are necessary for effectively conveying technical concepts across various disciplines.

Skills & tools

• Proficiency in mechanical design and analysis techniques.
• Experience with component qualification testing methodologies.
• Ability to generate detailed drawings and specifications.
• Competence in fixture design for testing and assembly.
• Skills in root cause analysis to identify and resolve issues.
• Experience in cross-functional collaboration with manufacturing and supply chain teams.

Practical notes

• Be prepared for extended hours and weekend work during critical project milestones.
• Travel requirements are minimal, typically under 25%.
• Due to ITAR regulations, applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees, or must be eligible to obtain the necessary authorization from the U.S. Department of State.
• The benefits package includes stock options, long-term cash awards, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, a 401(k) plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, three weeks of paid vacation, over ten paid holidays annually, and paid sick leave in accordance with company policy.
• For accommodation requests, please contact EEOCompliance@spacex.com.

About the company

Based in Starbase, Texas, a company pursues work in spaceflight, telecom, and artificial intelligence. A unit handles rocket launches, leading yearly orbital counts beyond other national and commercial teams. Another unit runs Starlink, a satellite communications firm. A third area, through SpaceXAI, advances Grok and AI integration with X, while managing data center operations. Roles often cross these paths. Candidates with engineering, software, or operations backgrounds may find chances to join projects that span launch, connectivity, and machine learning efforts in this Texas-based enterprise.