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Propulsion Engineer (Falcon Flight Operations)

SpaceX· Merlin and Flight Ops Engineering
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Hawthorne, CA$100k - $130kFull-timePosted 1mo ago

About the role

Propulsion Engineer responsible for ensuring flightworthiness of Falcon propulsion hardware and software across build, test, and flight, with focus on reliability and rapid reusability for the Falcon vehicle.

Responsibilities

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of the Falcon propulsion systems
  • Make critical decisions for the processing of Merlin and Stage Propulsion hardware during build, test, integration, and flight to ensure 100% mission success
  • Define, implement, and validate acceptance and operational requirements to promote reliability, rapid reusability, and streamlined processing of Falcon rockets
  • Take on primary responsibility for the success of Merlin engines or Stage Propulsion hardware for a given test or launch campaign
  • Support test and launch operations across all SpaceX facilities, including live on-console support from mission control
  • Perform post-test and post-flight data reviews, and provide technical recommendations to the Vehicle Maintenance team to enable rapid, reliable reuse of hardware
  • Solve undefined and multi-disciplinary problems, interfacing with engineering and technician teams from all disciplines across SpaceX
  • Work closely with commercial and government customers to drive down technical debt, mitigate flight risks, and ensure maximum hardware and software reliability
  • Lead propulsion anomaly investigations and drive these investigations to resolution
  • Develop new automation capabilities to enable extreme launch cadence
  • Optimize recurring test and mission tasks to enable an increasingly demanding launch manifest

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
  • 1+ years of experience working with engines or fluid systems

Skills

Required:Engineering fundamentals
Nice to have:Programming for automationHardware testing and propulsion experienceCommunicationLaunch operations

Benefits

  • Long-term incentives (stock or long-term cash awards)
  • discretionary bonuses
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • 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
  • 10+ paid holidays per year
  • paid sick leave per company policy
Last updated Sep 16, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About SpaceX

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