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.
PROPULSION ENGINEER, STRUCTURAL ANALYST (MERLIN)
This role will focus primarily on the structural analysis of engine parts to inform design decisions, and ensure reliability, performance and reuse requirements are met. Merlin Propulsion Engineers are all responsible for ensuring flightworthiness of engine hardware and software throughout the life cycle—from initial build, through acceptance testing, and into flight (and re-flight) operations. Additionally, you will be responsible for driving reliability-improving and rate-enabling initiatives to maintain the long-term success of Falcon as the most-flown, most-reliable launch vehicle in existence.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Perform thermal, thermo-mechanical, dynamic and durability (fatigue/fracture) analyses on Merlin engines to inform design decisions and ensure reliability, performance, and reuse requirements are met
- Take an extremely practical, hands-on approach to model validation/verification, ensuring that model predictions are tied firmly to reality and test data, and make improvements to the engine design
- Support ongoing design, manufacturing and reliability improvements to the engine, and ensure the changes are properly qualified
- Support the resolution of issues encountered with during manufacturing, testing, flight operations or engine refurbishment in a timely fashion
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
- 1+ years of experience in structural analysis
- 1+ years of experience with finite element analysis (FEA) and commercial tools such as ANSYS
- 1+ years of experience with combustion devices or rocket engine development
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master’s degree in an engineering discipline
- Strong fundamentals in structural mechanics, thermo-mechanical, random vibration, fatigue and fracture
- Strong fluid flow and heat transfer fundamentals. Experience with CFD or fluent is not required, but value-added
- Hands-on experience with rocket engines, automotive engine design, dynamic or complex static fluid systems, etc.
- Professional experience using Siemens NX (Unigraphics) and GD&T
- Experience with manufacturing processes such as CNC mill/lathe, welding, castings, additive, etc. Proficient with the fundamentals of design for manufacturing/assembly (DFMA)
- Project experience or full professional engineering lifecycle experience (design trade, CAD design, prototyping, manufacturing, testing, qualification, production, reuse) is desired
- Experience making risk evaluations and/or supporting root cause investigations
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Willingness to travel on occasion in support of testing
- Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed to resolve critical technical issues
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay range:
Propulsion Engineer/Level I: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year
Propulsion Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00/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 notify the Human Resources Department at (310) 363-6000.
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.
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