← All roles

Thermal Hardware Engineer (Starship Heat Shield)

SpaceX· Thermal Hardware Engineering
Apply on company site
Cape Canaveral, FLFull-timePosted 3mo ago

About the role

Thermal Hardware Engineer for Starship Heat Shield on the Heat Shield Engineering team. Responsible for designing, building, and integrating automated manufacturing systems to produce Starship Heat Shield tiles, with fieldwork and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

  • Responsible for engineering automated manufacturing systems utilizing in-depth knowledge of industrial mechanical and fluid systems
  • Utilize and acquire knowledge of mechanical, process, materials science, and automation controls to ensure the successful delivery of processes to production
  • Model industrial mechanical assemblies, fluid routing, and assemblies using CAD software
  • Create and release detailed manufacturing drawings, schematics, and work instructions for build and fabrication
  • Specify and down-select components, such as sensors, valves, pumps, machining hardware, and mechanisms, and provide detailed specifications for their purchase
  • Act as the technical point of contact for equipment/system vendors, ensuring deliverables meet system requirements and the delivery schedule is met
  • Own and drive system integration and activation schedules meeting tight deadlines
  • Ability to work in the field, alongside and leading skilled technician teams or contactors
  • Write procedures for system activation, manufacturing operations, and preventative maintenance
  • Support design, methodology, and implementation of control systems for heat shield material production by working closely with Automation and Controls team
  • Deliver innovative solutions to assigned areas of ownership under minimal supervision or direction

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, materials engineering, or manufacturing engineering
  • 1+ years of hands-on build or design experience (internship, club, and competition team experience qualifies)

Skills

Required:Mechanical engineering fundamentalsCAD modelingManufacturing drawings and documentationComponent specificationSystem integration and schedulingField work and leadershipProcedural writing
Nice to have:Vendor relationsControl systems collaboration
Last updated Sep 23, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About SpaceX

defense-aero-and-safetysetter-30setter-30-2026-q1wing-list-2026wing-list-2026-giga-stage
Company profileWebsite

More open roles at SpaceX