Sr. Software Engineer, Computer Vision

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.

SR. SOFTWARE ENGINEER, COMPUTER VISIONWe are looking for exceptional, driven, adaptable, and resilient senior software engineers who are technical leaders and experts in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and computer vision. As a software engineer on the NDE & Materials Software team, you will accelerate the quality, speed, and efficiency of manufacturing processes at SpaceX by owning end-to-end solutions - from model development to production deployment and monitoring.

Our team is building the next generation of in-process monitoring tools for SpaceX as we develop the Starship, Raptor, and Starlink programs. We deliver high-impact solutions through advanced AI models and scalable simulation with a focus on non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and materials engineering applications. As a technical leader, you will guide the team in applying cutting-edge AI to these manufacturing challenges.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead computer vision model development and deployment for real-time inspection and automated defect recognition in production-scale manufacturing

Architect and implement pipelines for scalable model training, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and retraining using industry-standard tools like Ray Train/Serve, Kubeflow, Airflow, or equivalent

Develop software to integrate hardware, sensors, and tooling (including sensor fusion) with AI-driven process monitoring systems

Build and optimize data pipelines from production lines, incorporating real-time stream processing and inference

Collaborate with part/process engineers, NDE engineers, and materials scientists to link advanced models and outputs to manufacturing

Lead design and code reviews, technology evaluations, and enforce best practices (e.g., style, CI/CD, accuracy, testability, efficiency, and standards)

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, math, physics, or related STEM discipline; OR 8+ years of professional experience building and deploying AI software/Machine Learning in lieu of a degree5+ years of software development experience3+ years deploying AI models to production environments3+ years of software engineering experience3+ years of experience leveraging Python for data analysisPREFERRED

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Proven track record as a technical leader in software projects involving AI/MLHands-on experience deploying computer vision models for real-time manufacturing inspection and defect detection

Strong development experience in Python and C++ (or similar), with expertise in ML frameworks like PyTorch or JAXHands-on experience with computer vision libraries (e.g., OpenCV)
Experience fine tuning and adapting state-of-the-art models, such as transformers and vision transformers, to production environments

Experience fine-tuning LLMs or vision-language models and building agentic tools

Experience deploying applications at scale with Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud/edge inference for factory automation

Expertise in machine learning/LLM operations including model versioning, A/B testing, drift detection, and orchestration with Kubeflow, Ray, MLFlow, or similar

Stream processing with Apache Kafka, RabbitMQ, or equivalent

Database expertise in PostgreSQL or similar and data tools (Prometheus, Grafana, Jupyter)
Strong linux experience

Experience applying AI to physics or simulation domains, using physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) or surrogate modeling

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary

Ability to travel to other SpaceX sites as needed (up to 20%)COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay range:
Sr. Software Engineer: $ - $/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  may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock 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…