Launch Engineer, Mechanical/Fluids (Starship Launch Pad)

$110,000 - $130,000/Yr

SpaceX - Brownsville, TX

Full-time - Entry Level

Brownsville, TX

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

SpaceX is committed to developing revolutionary space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets. As a mechanical and/or fluids engineer on the Starship launch pad, you will support the development of SpaceX's Starship Tower and Launch Mount, part of a fully reusable transportation system designed to launch both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Engineers in this role are responsible for hardware development from initial system architecting through the design, analysis, manufacturing, integration, activation, and operational phases. Mechanical engineers design welded structures, large-scale mechanisms, electromechanical & fluid power actuation systems, and fluid systems, including hydraulic and cryogenic. These systems are involved with stacking the first stage of Starship, supporting the first stage or the full stack in high winds, loading propellant prior to launch, releasing the vehicle at T-0, and protecting themselves from plume during flyout to be able to support another launch as fast as possible. The Starship program is focused on rapid iteration and improvement, which enables engineers to continuously innovate and advance technology throughout the life of the program. The overarching goal of the launch mount team is to get to a ZERO refurbishment state where the pad can launch one vehicle and immediately be ready to launch again.

Responsibilities

• Drive hardware development for systems within the Starship tower and launch mount from basic architecture through design, analysis, scheduling, manufacturing, activation, and operational phases
• Own design and manufacturing of mechanisms, actuation systems, fluid systems, and large structures
• Perform structural, dynamic, thermal, and fluids analysis as necessary to determine requirements and to optimize the design of these systems
• Work closely with software and operation engineers to develop the concept of operations for launch mount systems with the goal of developing robust, fault tolerant systems and software that perform every time in the varying extreme conditions of a launch environment
• Collaborate with engineers designing the Starship and Super Heavy vehicles to determine how the tower, launch mount, and vehicle can work together most effectively

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience with CAD and FEA software packages
• 1+ years of experience with mechanical or fluid systems design, analysis, and hands-on assembly (internship or project team experience qualify)

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree in engineering or a related technical discipline
• 3+ years of professional experience in mechanical design and analysis
• 2+ years of hands-on project experience with complex mechanical systems, preferably as a lead
• Solid understanding and application of GD&T and manufacturing techniques
• Demonstrated understanding of structural analysis and failure modes of complex mechanical systems and weldments
• Self-motivated with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Short & long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Access to long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards
• Potential discretionary bonuses
• Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Accrual of 3 weeks of paid vacation
• Eligibility for 10 or more paid holidays per year