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.
FULL STACK SOFTWARE ENGINEER, OPERATIONS SOFTWARE (STARLINK)
Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. As a member of the Starlink Operations Software team at SpaceX, you'll build the user interfaces and backend to enable safe and efficient operations for all Starlink satellites and ground assets. Your products are the operational tools operations, engineering, and reliability teams rely on. In this role you'll curate smooth user experiences with thoughtful designs while limiting software complexity. Your contributions will directly impact operational safety for satellites and the ability to scale the network.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop well-architected, highly reliable, responsive, and performant web applications to command, control, and monitor thousands of assets
- Create aesthetic and easy-to-use user interfaces that reduce the operational load of operators and maintain high guardrails for safety
- Collaborate with other engineers on architecture, design, and code reviews
- Maintain highest standards of excellence, never settle for the status quo
- Partner closely with operations teams to understand real mission needs and translate them into elegant technical solutions
- Deep dive into business problems, find efficient solutions and apply first principles thinking
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a STEM discipline and 1+ years of experience building full-stack software; OR 3+ years of professional experience building full-stack software in lieu of a degree (internship experience is applicable)
- 1+ years of experience in full stack development, software engineering, data engineering, or data science
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Frontend experience in Angular, React, or a similar JavaScript framework
- Programming experience in Python or similar object-oriented language
- Experience with PostgreSQL, CockroachDB, or similar relational database technologies
- Production experience with infrastructure tools such as Docker and Kubernetes
- Experience with version control, continuous integration, and continuous delivery systems
- Expertise in profiling and improving application performance
- Experience with build systems (Make, Bazel/Pants/Buck, Gradle) and package management tools (pip, npm)
- Strong attention to detail
- A drive to deliver exceptional operations tools and willingness to own all outcomes
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
- Ability to work on an "on-call" basis at night and on weekends
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay Range:
Level 1: $125,000.00 - $165,000.00
Level 2: $145,000.00 - $200,000.00
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees in Washington State accrue paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law. Company shuttles are offered to employees for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday.
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 [email protected].
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a STEM discipline and at least 1 year of full-stack software experience; alternatively, 3+ years of professional full-stack software experience in lieu of a degree.
- At least 1 year of experience in full-stack development, software engineering, data engineering, or data science.
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
- Ability to work on-call at night and on weekends.
- Must meet ITAR eligibility requirements or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.
SpaceX Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about SpaceX and has not been reviewed or approved by SpaceX.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity grants are a core part of total compensation, with periodic company-run tender offers that create liquidity before any public listing. These mechanisms can make the equity component feel materially valuable in practice.
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Healthcare Strength — The package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with on-site clinics and health resources at major sites. This breadth of coverage is presented as a strong element of the offering.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Major locations feature on-site amenities such as fitness facilities, food/coffee, clinics, and other conveniences. These lifestyle perks enhance day-to-day value alongside cash and equity.
SpaceX Insights
What We Do
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space transportation, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary. SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company ever to return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, which it first accomplished in December 2010. The company made history again in May 2012 when its Dragon spacecraft attached to the International Space Station, exchanged cargo payloads, and returned safely to Earth — a technically challenging feat previously accomplished only by governments. Since then Dragon has delivered cargo to and from the space station multiple times, providing regular cargo resupply missions for NASA.
