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Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Flight Termination System (Starship)

SpaceX· Components Test - Starship
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Hawthorne, CA$130k - $180kfull-timePosted 4mo ago

About the role

Senior mechanical engineering role focused on design and development of Starship Flight Termination System hardware and explosives, from concept through delivery, including testing, production interfacing, regulatory alignment, and vehicle integration.

Responsibilities

  • Develop state-of-the-art, manufacturable explosive devices and robust hardware integration designs (system controllers, electronic safe and arm devices, destruct charges, and integrated detonators) for the Starship and Super Heavy stage Flight Termination System. Question requirements, delete parts and processes, simplify/optimize, accelerate, and automate component deliveries
  • Validate reliability of hardware and designs with rigorous testing in shock, vibration, thermal cycling, climatic and live fire testing. Design experiments to ground analysis, develop fixturing, and create technical reports based on results
  • Partner with manufacturing, production, testing, and supply chain to achieve SpaceX’s highest-yet component build rate, striving for high factory yield and automotive volume/cost. Accelerate component delivery to >1 full stacked launch vehicle per month
  • Generate and maintain detailed drawings, component specifications, analysis and risk assessments
  • Spearhead root cause investigations that arise in development, production, test, integration and launch, implement corrective actions to prevent repeat failures
  • Set the standard for highly reliable component design and qualification testing to strict regulatory standards
  • Achieve zero in-flight anomalies of flight termination system components. Reduce component-caused production and launch delays, and minimize containments.
  • Act as the chief engineer, collaborating with stage, avionics, and flight safety teams to arrive at the simplest solution for the vehicle. Inform system-level architecture, with component capabilities and vulnerabilities in mind, to minimize cost of payload to orbit

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
  • 5+ years of experience in mechanical design and/or hands-on manufacturing

Skills

Required:Explosives knowledgeMechanical designTesting and validationRegulatory complianceRoot cause analysis
Nice to have:Project management

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
  • 401(k) retirement plan
  • short and long-term disability insurance
  • life insurance
  • paid parental leave
  • 3 weeks of paid vacation and 10+ paid holidays per year
  • paid sick leave per company policy
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan and potential stock-based incentives
  • discretionary bonuses and long-term incentives
Last updated Jul 8, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About SpaceX

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