Mechanical Design Engineer (Propulsion Components)

$110,000 - $130,000/Yr

SpaceX - Hawthorne, CA

Full-time - Entry Level

Hawthorne, CA

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

The Mechanical Design Engineer (Propulsion Components) at SpaceX is responsible for the design, development, and troubleshooting of critical propulsion components for the Falcon 9 and Dragon vehicles. This role involves working on advanced electromechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems that are essential for the operation of reusable launch vehicles. The engineer will collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to ensure the reliability and performance of these components, contributing to SpaceX's mission of enabling human life on Mars.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot, develop, and ensure flight readiness of valves, regulators, and actuators on the Falcon 9 and Dragon vehicles.
• Support, troubleshoot, and document component anomalies that arise at the build, test, or launch sites.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams on valve and vehicle investigations.
• Generate detailed drawings and coordinate valve manufacturing with the production team.
• Generate and maintain component specifications.
• Develop and execute qualification test plans to ensure readiness for flight (vibration, shock, thermal cycle, life cycle, flow testing).
• Spearhead root cause investigations and redesigns to improve reliability or production rate.
• Certify hardware for crewed flight and repeated reuse through testing and analysis.
• Present and clearly communicate analysis and test results.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering discipline or physics.
• 1+ years of experience designing and analyzing mechanical systems via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree or 1+ years of professional experience in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• Experience designing, building, testing, and troubleshooting mechanical systems.
• Understanding of fundamental principles in fluid systems and solid mechanics.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, enthusiasm for problem solving, and desire to optimize modern rocket production and launch processes.
• Strong project management skills and effective communication of technical concepts across multi-disciplinary teams.
• Hands-on experience with fluid and/or gas handling systems.
• Leadership experience on a project or research team.
• Experience using test instrumentation and control components (e.g. pressure transducers, thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors, relays, solenoid valves, etc.).
• Knowledge of electro-mechanical devices, actuators, motors, valves, regulators, or other fluid control devices.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Short and long-term disability insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Paid parental leave.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount.
• 3 weeks of paid vacation.
• 10 or more paid holidays per year.
• 5 days of sick leave per year.