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, SOFTWARE
Our SpaceX team is working on the toughest and most audacious projects on our planet: making humanity multiplanetary. As a software engineer on the SpaceX team, you will demonstrate extreme ownership through detailed and thorough design, testing, and deployment - ultimately seeing your software through all aspects of its life cycle. You will work with many cross-disciplinary teams and will need to think at a system level to ensure that your code is viable. Our development timelines are quick and you will need to rigorously explore solutions for previously unsolved or unknown problems. Every day, we push the limits of what is possible through innovation, determination, and teamwork to drive the mission to success.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Expect a dynamic role doing what you’re best at. Our team is building high-performance flight hardware. Whatever your skill set, you’ll be aligned to the part of the program you’re most effectively able to contribute to.
- Develop highly reliable autonomous software systems and the simulations required to validate them.
- Own all aspects of software development, including design, testing, and integration to the mission.
- Work with counterpart engineering teams to develop and maintain launch and vehicle software
- Get a front row seat to witness an impossible idea manifest in real life. The next few years will be incredibly dynamic as we transition from the challenge of building hardware to actually flying reusable rockets to orbit and deploying complex satellites to orbit.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering or other engineering discipline.
- 1+ years of software development experience via project team, research, internship, and/or professional experience.
- Graduating in the fall of 2025, spring of 2026 or summer of 2026.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Proven skills and knowledge of C++, Rust, or other systems programming language.
- Experience building or working with real-time embedded systems or distributed computing systems.
- Strong focus and interest in designing, architecting, and implementing excellent, bug-free software.
- Strong critical thinking and first-principles problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Able to work effectively in a dynamic environment while assuming high levels of responsibility and demonstrating accountability for software outcomes.
- Experience working at a nimble engineering organization or in a highly technical position that required a scrappy, entrepreneurial manner to accomplish tasks with tight time or budget constraints.
- Excelled in ultra-competitive environments. You’ve nailed a podium finish in engineering, math, or science competitions, achieved scores in the top percentile of scholastic or standardized tests, or demonstrated other incredible feats of intellectual achievement.
- Succeeded in multiple endeavors at once. Maybe you worked through college, were a student athlete, or demonstrated strong work or academic performance in multiple fields.
- Demonstrated rapid growth. You’ve held successive positions of increasing responsibility within an organization, were able to get yourself up to speed at a heroic pace, and accomplished something meaningfully difficult early in your career.
- Success in academics at a rigorous and highly regarded university: minimum GPA 3.5/4.0 or higher, standardized test scores minimum 95th percentile, merit-based scholarship recipient.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer. Your ability to secure the necessary clearance is essential for fulfilling key responsibilities of the role. Should you be unable to obtain it, SpaceX reserves the right to modify or terminate your employment to align with operational needs
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Software Engineer/Level I: $120,000.00 - $145,000.00/per year
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, stock options, 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. Exempt employees are eligible for 5 days of sick leave per year.
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].
Top Skills
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.
