Principal Engineer; Starship
Listed on 2025-12-12
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Engineering
Aerospace / Aviation / Avionics, Systems Engineer, Electrical Engineering
Space
X 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 Space
X is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Close architectural trades by leading and arbitrating interdisciplinary trades
- Responsible for reporting program status and risks at a regular cadence internally and externally
- Set a scrappy, positive, and hardware‑rich culture within the team with a sense of urgency towards making us a space‑faring civilization
- Hire and mentor individual contributors and people leaders within the Starship team
- Capture and distill customer mission requirements from a variety of external stakeholders into actionable development objectives and verification plans
- Develop system requirements and interface control documents based on trade study results
- Lead reviews with customers and ensure that technical contract deliverables are delivered on time and per the customer's expectations
- Bachelor's degree in engineering and 8+ years of professional experience
- 7+ years of experience leading teams to produce engineering products
- Master's degree in aerospace engineering or relevant engineering discipline
- Professional experience working with launch vehicles, space vehicles, command and control systems, and/or ground/space sensor systems
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with direct experience negotiating technical deliverables or scope
- Significant experience leading cross‑functional teams and working with external customers and systems engineering and technical assistance (SETA) representatives
- Significant experience leading and performing quantitative system of systems architecture trades and development
- Experience working with government or commercial spacecraft entities
- Highly detail oriented, diligent, and hardworking
- Passion for advancing the commercial space industry
- Ability to work in a fast‑paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start‑up atmosphere
- Must be available to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to support critical milestones or operations shifts
- Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg
- Must be willing to travel to other Space
X offices and customer locations as needed, up to 25%
- 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.
Space
X is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Space
X 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 Space
X's affirmative action plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to
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