Sr. Hardware Engineer, Ground Segment

$130,000 - $200,000/Yr

SpaceX - Hawthorne, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Hawthorne, CA

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

The Sr. Hardware Engineer for the Ground Segment at SpaceX is responsible for the design, deployment, and maintenance of ground station communication systems that support Falcon and Dragon missions. This role involves engaging in hardware design initiatives, collaborating with international partners, and managing all phases of ground station deployment from concept to final execution. The engineer will work in a dynamic environment, solving complex problems and ensuring mission readiness for critical operations.

Responsibilities

• Design and build ground station communication systems through all stages of development (site survey, system design review, hardware selection, hardware integration, end-to-end testing and activation)
• Present engineering design reviews and participate in proposal-writing efforts
• Work with engineers and technicians to deploy and maintain complete ground station systems to be mission-ready
• Collaborate with the recovery team on building and maintaining SpaceX marine telemetry systems
• Interface with multiple disciplines including customers, mission management, avionics, RF, logistics, suppliers, and manufacturing
• Troubleshoot issues on ground stations and production assemblies on an aggressive schedule
• Lead the selection, integration, and maintenance of ground support rack hardware and software
• Specify and drive creation of ground stations hardware-in-the-loop test systems to support software development and system verification and validation
• Oversee production, testing, quality control, and shipment logistics of ground station support hardware
• Work closely with the software team to drive ground stations automation and monitoring
• Set up asset maintenance strategies using Risk Based and Reliability Centered Maintenance methodologies
• Maintain asset documentation and preventative maintenance plans
• Identify and maintain critical spare strategy for worldwide Ground Stations

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or mechanical engineering
• 5+ years of industry experience designing, implementing and testing system-level communication architectures
• 5+ years of hardware experience with spacecraft, ground stations, IT/networks, or other communication systems
• 5+ years of experience with RF system level design, link budget analysis

Nice-to-haves

• Strong RF System level experience
• Master's degree or PhD in electrical engineering
• LEO, MEO, and/or lunar orbit ground station operations and engineering experience
• Experience in the development and installation of satellite tracking ground antennas and systems
• Experience in ground station operations
• Knowledge of ground station equipment including up and down converters, power amplifiers, receivers, and other antenna elements
• Experience with low-voltage power distribution, backup battery, generator systems, and international electrical standards
• Hands-on experience with lab instruments such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and signal generators
• Experience working with government organizations (USAF, NASA, FAA, FCC, NTIA, etc.)
• Experience with GNU Radio or similar signal processing libraries
• Experience developing tools in Python or Matlab
• Strong project management skills, detail oriented, organized, and able to demonstrate a high sense of urgency
• Mastery in the use of Visio or other CAD software to develop system schematics

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Short & long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Various discounts and perks
• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• 10 or more paid holidays per year
• 5 days of sick leave per year
• 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