Propulsion Components Engineering Leadership Development Program

4 weeks ago


Hawthorne, California, United States SpaceX Full time

At SpaceX, we are pushing the boundaries of space technology to make humanity a multi-planetary species. As a member of our Propulsion Components team, you will play a critical role in designing and developing the most advanced spacecraft and launch vehicle components in the world.

Our engineers in this group design and build valves, actuators, and other fluid control devices on our spacecraft and launch vehicles, with 800+ components on Falcon 9 and 300+ components on Dragon. These components must withstand extreme requirements, including temperatures from +700 F to -400 F, high pressures, and extreme flight environments, while maximizing reliability and minimizing weight.

In this advanced rotational program, you will work on 3 of the following teams:

  • Spacecraft Propulsion Component Design (Cargo Dragon)
  • Launch Vehicle and Engine Component Design (Falcon 9)
  • Environmental Control and Life Support Component Design (Crew Dragon)
  • Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Component Test Engineering
  • Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Component Manufacturing Engineering

Program members will complete 3 six-month rotations, including 1 spacecraft component design rotation, 1 launch vehicle component design rotation, and 1 rotation of your choice in the counterpart test or manufacturing groups.

Responsibilities:

  • Design and analysis of new fluid components
  • Development of advanced manufacturing processes
  • Design and construction of automated component test equipment
  • Generate detailed drawings and coordinate valve manufacturing
  • Develop and execute component flight qualification test plans
  • Develop production flight acceptance tests for propulsion components
  • Generate and maintain component specifications
  • Document and troubleshoot component anomalies

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering
  • 1 year of experience designing and analyzing mechanical systems

Preferred Skills and Experience:

  • Master's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering
  • Working knowledge of valves, regulators, burst disks, and other fluid components
  • Experience working on mechanisms or mechanical systems
  • Fundamental understanding of launch vehicle and/or spacecraft fluid systems
  • Hands-on experience with fluid and/or gas handling systems
  • Leadership experience on a project or research team
  • Experience using test instrumentation and control components

Additional Requirements:

  • Travel to vendors and other SpaceX sites as needed
  • Must be able to work nights and weekends as needed

ITAR Requirements:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX 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.



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