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. SMT ENGINEER (STARSHIP AVIONICS)

Become a part of the Starship team which is working to revolutionize orbital flight and space travel - opening access for humankind to establish new frontiers in space, and ultimately make human kind a multi-planetary species. Our team is not only designing and building some of the finest electrical hardware to have flown in space, but also doing so at a cost and rate previously considered unthinkable in the space industry. Become a part of this fast moving and world class avionics production team, work with super smart and motivated engineers, and achieve truly audacious goals. As a Senior SMT Engineer you will create, execute, and improve work processes which will enable us to produce quality electronics at Starship rate. You will make design updates to hardware to make it easier to manufacture.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Optimize and configure processes and equipment for building surface mount electronics assemblies
  • Perform design of experiments (DOE) to optimize SMT process yield
  • Specify equipment requirements for new PCBA build processes and develop design for manufacturability (DFM) guidelines for PCBA designs
  • In close conjunction with the responsible engineer, make design updates to flight hardware which enable it to be manufactured easily
  • Execute qualification campaigns to ensure DFM improvements do not sacrifice flight capability
  • Provide solutions to streamline space-grade circuit board assembly and test processes which may include flying probe, automated optical inspection (AOI), functional testing, reflow soldering, selective soldering, and conformal coating
  • Resolve production issues on the spot while ensuring design integrity allowing us to stay on schedule
  • Facilitate a close relationship with the engineering team during design, build, and test to provide design feedback; provide clear communication between the design engineering team and the production floor
  • Lead efforts to uncover root-cause and develop a permanent resolution on issues found during production
  • Develop a robust set of test machinery that includes critical spares for ensuring complete uptime
  • Determine schedule impacts for unforeseen design or process changes in production
  • Utilize lean manufacturing tools; recommend improvements in production methods, standards, tooling, equipment, layout, procedures, product designs, and employee efficiency
  • Support the transition of products from development to volume production and identify continuous improvement opportunities for yield, performance, and cost
  • Work with the design team in response to manufacturing problems, parts obsolescence, and minor requirement changes
  • Prepare and maintain documentation required to ensure efficient production. Participate in design reviews to conduct DFM and DFT recommendations with innovative and cost-effective solutions

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering field
  • 2+ years of professional experience working in SMT or PCBA process engineering

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • 5+ years of direct experience working in SMT or PCBA process engineering
  • Hands on experience with optimizing SMT pick and place, reflow oven, conformal coating, or through hole soldering systems
  • Passion for advancing the commercial space industry and human spaceflight
  • Strong work ethic and drive to succeed
  • Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • Extended hours and weekend work may be required to support critical project and mission milestones
  • Ability to lift 25 lbs. unassisted
  • Standing for long periods of time, climbing up and down ladders, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, and stretching may be required to perform the functions of this position

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
SMT Engineer Engineer/Senior: $125,000.00 - $175,000.00/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 notify the Human Resources Department at (310) 363-6000.

Apply for this Job

* Required
resume chosen  
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)
When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review
+ Add another education


Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in SpaceX’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.


Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.


Enter the verification code sent to to confirm you are not a robot, then submit your application.

This application was flagged as potential bot traffic. To resubmit your application, turn off any VPNs, clear the browser's cache and cookies, or try another browser. If you still can't submit it, contact our support team through the help center.