Software Engineer, Collision Avoidance

About the role

Become a key player in the Starshield GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Control) team at SpaceX, where you will develop innovative software solutions to ensure safety in low-earth orbit. Your role will involve leveraging your expertise in distributed systems to design and implement tools for managing payloads, preventing collisions, and predicting orbital paths for extensive satellite constellations. At SpaceX, engineers take full ownership of their projects, guiding them from the initial idea through to deployment and ongoing maintenance.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Design and implement software systems that can effectively manage the operations of thousands of satellites concurrently.
• Develop prototypes to test and validate design methodologies, establishing the technical limits of your solutions.
• Collaborate closely with other engineers to facilitate product planning and coordinate development efforts.
• Take full responsibility for features, overseeing everything from gathering requirements to prototyping, coding, testing, deploying, and maintaining the software.
• Engage in troubleshooting and debugging to ensure software reliability and performance.
• Participate in code reviews to maintain high standards of software quality and share knowledge with team members.
• Contribute to the development of documentation for software systems, ensuring clarity and usability for future reference.
• Stay updated with industry trends and advancements in technology to continuously improve software solutions.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or a related scientific discipline, or at least three years of professional software development experience in lieu of a degree.
• A minimum of one year of professional experience in software development.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically about complex systems.
• Experience in writing clean, maintainable code and familiarity with software development best practices.
• A solid understanding of algorithms and data structures.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to facilitate collaboration within the team.

Nice to have

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, or other object-oriented languages.
• Experience working with distributed systems or large-scale consumer internet platforms.
• Familiarity with containerization technologies like Docker or Kubernetes for application deployment.
• Knowledge of version control systems, testing frameworks, continuous integration, build pipelines, and monitoring practices.
• Experience in optimizing application performance and profiling software.
• Familiarity with relational databases, such as PostgreSQL or CockroachDB, for data management.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, with strong communication skills.
• Previous experience with satellite or spacecraft systems is a plus.
• A solid foundation in mathematics and physics to support technical problem-solving.

Skills & tools

• Proficient in Python, C++, or similar object-oriented programming languages.
• Experience with Docker and Kubernetes for containerization and orchestration.
• Familiarity with PostgreSQL and CockroachDB for database management.
• Knowledge of CI/CD practices and monitoring tools to ensure software reliability.

Practical notes

• Candidates must comply with ITAR regulations, which require U.S. citizenship, U.S. national status, lawful permanent residency (green card holders), refugees under 8 U.S.C. 1157, asylees under 8 U.S.C. 1158, or those eligible for necessary State Department authorizations.
• An active security clearance may enable participation in sensitive missions; if applicable, pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing will be required.
• Individuals with active security clearances may receive a 10% pay differential, potentially adding up to $20,000 annually, once briefed on classified programs.
• Flexibility to work extended hours and weekends when required is essential.
• Salary range for Level I positions is between $125,000 and $150,000 annually.
• Salary range for Level II positions is between $145,000 and $175,000 annually.
• Compensation packages include eligibility for company stock, stock options, long-term cash awards, discretionary bonuses, and participation in an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Benefits offered include comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, three weeks of paid vacation accrual, ten or more paid holidays each year, and paid sick leave according to company policy.

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.