New Graduate Engineer, Silicon Engineering

Posted One Month Ago
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Irvine, CA, USA
In-Office
125K-195K Annually
Entry level
Aerospace • Other
The Role
Entry-level silicon engineer to design, verify, and validate ASICs/FPGAs and RF/analog ICs across pre- and post-silicon flows. Work spans RTL/RTL verification, DSP block development, physical implementation (synthesis, floorplanning, P&R), lab bring-up, and automation of methodologies. Collaborative work with system architects and cross-functional teams for Starlink SOC tapeouts.
Summary Generated by Built In

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, SILICON ENGINEERING

Are you an engineering student graduating in fall or this upcoming spring/summer that is looking for full-time employment after graduation? We are looking for engineers to help us develop next generation silicon for SpaceX. The team is hiring engineers from pre-silicon through post-silicon across many disciplines in RF/Analog IC, RTL design, design verification, physical design, DFT, validation and more using state-of-the-art tools and methodologies. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on self-starter who can execute the steps required to fully design and verify complex designs.

Full-time employment is available working on our Starlink program in Palo Alto (CA), Irvine (CA), or Redmond (WA). 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • ASIC/FPGA Design & Verification
    • Participate in all phases of ASIC/FPGA design and verification flows
    • Contribute towards design architecture, RTL implementation and/or verification, and emulation
    • Bring-up and validate ASICs and FPGAs in the lab (write embedded software using C/C++ and/or Python)
    • Hands-on self-starter who can execute the steps required to fully verify a complex digital design
  • RF/Analog IC Design
    • Simulate and model RFIC systems at high level and work with system architects, modem/DSP and ASIC engineers to partition functions between hardware and software domains
    • Derive specifications for the RFIC subsystems and circuits
    • Develop RF/microwave circuits in state-of-the-art SiGe or CMOS processes
    • Perform IC floor planning and layout
  • Digital Signal Processing
    • Develop RTL designs using SystemVerilog, with emphasis on DSP and digital communication system blocks (frontend, physical layer, link layer, error correction, etc.)
    • Verify DSP blocks against fixed-point MATLAB model, work in collaboration with systems engineers
  • Physical Design
    • Perform synthesis and physical implementation steps (synthesis, floor planning, place and route, timing/noise analysis, physical verification, electromigration, voltage drop, logic equivalency and other signoff checks)
    • Develop/improve physical design methodologies and automation scripts for various implementation steps
    • Participate in silicon tapeouts in advanced technology nodes for future Starlink SOCs

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Graduating with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD in 2026 or 2027
  • Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline, mathematics or physics
  • Experience working with ASIC, SOC, FPGA, RFIC, or MMIC

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Understanding of computer architecture
  • Experience in one or more of the following areas:
    • Analog or digital CMOS integrated circuit design and/or physical design
    • SystemVerilog, Verilog, VHDL or C/C++
    • Scripting languages, e.g. Python for automation
    • Object-oriented programming
    • Simulation tools such as ADS, Spectre, HFSS or Momentum
    • RTL design, chip bring-up, verification, and/or post-silicon validation experience
    • Digital signal processing

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

  • Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to meet critical project milestones
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay Range:
Level 1: $125,000.00 - $160,000.00
Level 2: $145,000.00 - $195,000.00

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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

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

  • Graduating with a bachelor's, master's, or PhD in 2026 or 2027
  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, mathematics, or physics
  • Experience working with ASIC, SoC, FPGA, RFIC, or MMIC
  • Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to meet critical project milestones
  • Must meet ITAR eligibility (U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible for required Department of State authorizations)
  • Understanding of computer architecture
  • Analog or digital CMOS integrated circuit design and/or physical design experience
  • Experience with SystemVerilog, Verilog, VHDL, or C/C++
  • Scripting experience (e.g., Python) for automation
  • Object-oriented programming experience
  • Experience with simulation tools such as ADS, Spectre, HFSS, or Momentum
  • RTL design, chip bring-up, verification, and/or post-silicon validation experience
  • Digital signal processing experience

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.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

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The Company
HQ: Hawthorne, CA
8,879 Employees
Year Founded: 2002

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.

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