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.
SR. FLIGHT RELIABILITY ENGINEER (STARSHIP)
The Starship Flight Reliability Engineer has the primary responsibility of identifying, documenting, and managing risk for the Starship and Super Heavy vehicles. This individual will work with design teams, build teams, and operations teams to ensure the best outcome possible on flight and test days for these vehicles. This role will also work on console to coordinate and facilitate real time risk conversations during major test operations and flights at the orbital launch pad. Various projects will be assigned that will help reduce or track risks to the program and vehicles.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Take ownership of risk tracking for a Starship Vehicle or component (Starship, Super Heavy booster, launch pad, engine) and manage risk of that item throughout testing and flight
- Support technical reviews including vehicle state machine reviews (software), joint operations reviews (between ground and vehicle teams), and CONOPs reviews as required to understand and provide feedback to operations
- Organize and run flight readiness reviews to ensure technical readiness and flight data reviews to track action items and learnings from flight. Drive actions and findings to completion. Use risk, mission workflow, and change as tools to ensure technical readiness
- Clearly communicate technical risks to the executive leadership team
- Provide real time (on console) support for test and flight as the authority for vehicle risk, communicating to leadership and executive team as required. Drive on-console resolution of technical risks to achieve successful test or flight outcome
- Support anomaly investigations as needed via use of tools such as fault trees, fishbones, and 5 whys. Work to resolve anomalies on day of test and launch in real time on console
- Influence and drive the implementation of process and tools to an appropriate balance for the Starship program, including risk, change, and mission workflow
- Run projects or tool improvements to help the starship program better manage and understand technical risk
- Support regulatory and customer reviews as needed
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
- 5+ years of experience with engineering problem solving in design, analysis, or test of systems
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- 8+ years of professional experience in aerospace engineering field (design, analysis, or test at the large assembly or system level)
- SQL and/or Python experience
- High proficiency with basic computer applications (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, email)
- Experience with anomaly resolution and documentation of anomaly reports and lessons learned databases
- Experience with engineering risk management, engineering configuration, and change management
- On console test experience or support of launch and/or large-scale test operations
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work remotely (if working in location other than Starbase) and clearly and concisely communicate weekly progress and roadblocks
- Self-starter and willing to continuously learn new skills to drive the process and technology of Starship hardware development and testing
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Travel to other SpaceX sites to support test and launch operations as needed
- Available to work extended hours and weekends as needed based on test and launch schedules
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 an engineering discipline
- 5+ years engineering problem solving in design, analysis, or test of systems
- ITAR eligibility: U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State
- Travel to other SpaceX sites to support test and launch operations as needed
- Available to work extended hours and weekends as needed based on test and launch schedules
- 8+ years professional aerospace engineering experience (design, analysis, or test at large assembly or system level)
- SQL and/or Python experience
- High proficiency with basic computer applications (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, email)
- Experience with anomaly resolution and documentation of anomaly reports and lessons learned databases
- Experience with engineering risk management, configuration, and change management
- On-console test experience or support of launch and/or large-scale test operations
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to clearly report progress and roadblocks
- Self-starter willing to continuously learn and drive process and technology improvements
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.
