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.

NDE ENGINEER (STARSHIP)

The NDE Engineer position sits within the NDE Engineering organization reporting to the NDE Engineering Manager. You will be required to interface across multiple business groups to develop and deliver state-of-the-art inspection solutions and advanced data analysis to deliver manufacturing process improvements to ensure flight reliability of the vehicle.  

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

  • Manage all phases of the design and implementation of automated NDE inspection systems to meet capability, rate, and quality targets for the Starship Program
  • Interface across multiple engineering teams to align on inspection requirements and capabilities, inspection feasibility, design for inspection, inspection method selection, and interpretation and evaluation of data
  • Support targets and goals such as NDE automation initiatives, increased probability of detection, reduced cycle time, right first-time manufacture/assembly, and indication/defect reduction
  • Support NDE specialists with development, qualification and deployment of new inspection processes (gauge R&R, PODs) including standardization, documentation and training
  • Define integration test plans for hardware products or software features with integration milestones that align with the program timeline
  • Drive cross-functional design and analysis discussions with electrical, software, manufacturing, and vehicle design teams
  • Understand and debug hardware and software interactions during design, launch, and deployment
  • Use field data to improve design and performance of NDE systems
  • Be able to present risk/performance analysis and recommendations to cross-functional teams including executives 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: 

  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, physics, or computer science
  • 3+ years of hands-on technical engineering experience 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Master’s degree or PhD in an engineering discipline 
  • 6+ years of hands-on technical engineering experience
  • Strong project management skills
  • Knowledge of a variety of NDE techniques such as ultrasonic testing, eddy current testing, digital radiography testing, etc.
  • Knowledge of statistical modeling, machine learning, and mathematical optimization
  • Understanding of hardware and software development and validation process
  • Familiarity with JIRA or similar task/feature tracking systems
  • Knowledge of automation, including robotics
  • Experience with software and automation coding (Labview, Python, C#, SQL)
  • Ability to multitask, from developing technologies, project management, and training people throughout the introduction of multiple productive solutions, from inception and R&D to full-volume production
  • Experience with problem solving tools and techniques: Practical Problem Solving, 8D etc. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

  • Ability to work flexible hours and occasional weekend support as needed  
  • Ability to work at elevated heights occasionally (scissor lifts and articulated boom lifts) 
  • Ability to pass Space Force / Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg 
  • Ability to travel to vendors and other SpaceX sites as needed      

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: 

Pay range:     

NDE Engineer I: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year

NDE Engineer II: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00/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 and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and 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)
Cancel
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.