Sr. Trajectory Analysis Engineer (Starship)

Posted Yesterday
Be an Early Applicant
Hawthorne, CA, USA
In-Office
140K-205K Annually
Senior level
Aerospace • Other
The Role
Perform trajectory and performance analysis for Starship and launch vehicles, evaluate fault scenarios, develop flight plans and flight-termination rules, produce safety deliverables, support launch operations and flight data review, interface with internal teams and regulators, and automate trajectory analysis workflows.
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.

SR. TRAJECTORY ANALYSIS ENGINEER (STARSHIP)

As a Trajectory Analysis Engineer, you will be responsible for finding creative analysis solutions to enable the world’s most advanced rockets, including our next-generation Starship vehicle, a fully reusable spacecraft capable of carrying humans to Mars and beyond. You will work with a talented team of accomplished engineers to iterate on mission objectives for upcoming and future flights to ensure flight safety objectives are met. You should thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments where you adapt quickly and love to solve hard problems.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Analyze launch vehicle trajectories and vehicle performance in the presence of faults
  • Find creative flight plan solutions to enable mission objectives, while maintaining safe vehicle operation
  • Generate and submit flight safety deliverables
  • Produce and present trajectory analysis products for internal and external partners
  • Interface with internal operations teams, flight reliability teams, hardware teams, and external regulatory partners such as the FAA.
  • Engage in multi-disciplinary vehicle systems investigations to motivate mission design, vehicle architecture, and analysis methodologies
  • Develop and evaluate flight termination system mission rules
  • Support launch and mission operations of vehicles that you enabled
  • Conduct flight data review
  • Automate mission-to-mission trajectory analysis product generation

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree in physics or an engineering discipline AND 5+ years of professional experience 
  • Experience with orbital mechanics, classical dynamics, modeling, and simulation
  • Experience with the software languages Python or C++

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • 5+ years of professional experience in trajectory analysis and aerodynamics
  • Demonstrated project or professional experience in launch vehicle and/or spacecraft systems
  • Capable of solving complex problems with little to no supervision on schedule as an individual or as a member of an integrated team
  • Experience with system trades and first-hand knowledge of how requirements tie hardware to larger systems
  • Passion for advancing the commercial space industry and human spaceflight
  • Excellent communication skills both written and verbal

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:    

Pay range:    
Trajectory Analysis Engineer/Senior: $140,000.00 - $205,000.00/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 & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation & 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]

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's degree in physics or an engineering discipline and 5+ years of professional experience
  • Experience with orbital mechanics, classical dynamics, modeling, and simulation
  • Experience with Python or C++
  • Willingness to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
  • ITAR eligibility: must be U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or able to obtain required State Department authorizations
  • 5+ years of professional experience in trajectory analysis and aerodynamics
  • Project or professional experience in launch vehicle and/or spacecraft systems
  • Experience with system trades and understanding how requirements tie hardware to larger systems
  • Ability to solve complex problems with little to no supervision
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Passion for advancing commercial space industry and human spaceflight

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
Austin, Texas
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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