Sr. Electrical Design Engineer (Avionics)

Location: Hawthorne, CA

Department: Falcon and Dragon Avionics & Software Engineering

SR. ELECTRICAL DESIGN ENGINEER (AVIONICS)

As a Sr. Electrical Engineer on the Avionics Hardware Development team, you will have the unique opportunity to explore all areas of a product’s life cycle from development through production and launch by engaging in multiple disciplines with a focus on electronic design, reliability, and manufacturing. In addition to designing new hardware from scratch, you will be expected to analyze and troubleshoot electronic assemblies, define new processes, design circuits/fixtures/tools, and identify opportunities for improvement in both products and processes. You will have the opportunity to own a wide variety of components that enable SpaceX vehicles to provide the safest and most reliable access to space. Our fundamental goal is to allow humanity to explore the stars; with it comes an extreme responsibility to ensure the safety of the crew and payload.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design new hardware, redesign existing hardware, and perform modifications to PCBAs to improve their reliability and manufacturability or expand vehicle capabilities
• Provide extreme ownership of avionics hardware for flight across all areas of the product life cycle
• Drive changes to electrical schematics and mechanical drawings that improve reliability and manufacturability
• Perform root cause investigations to characterize off-nominal unit behavior and mitigate risk
• Derive engineering justification to resolve production issues throughout assembly, test, and vehicle integration
• Design test setups and execute hardware validation through benchtop and environmental testing

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering
• 5+ years of experience in electronics hardware design (academic projects, internships, and professional experience all qualify)
• 5+ years of experience with electrical test equipment (e.g., multimeters, signal generators, oscilloscopes) to verify hardware functionality

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering
• 3+ years of experience in a technical project management and/or systems engineering role
• Ability to design analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuits
• Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout software (KiCad, Altium, Eagle)
• Experience with electrical simulation software (LTspice, SIMetrix, or similar)
• Design for excellence (DFX), root cause, derating, and related analyses
• Knowledge of digital communications interfaces including SPI, I2C, CAN, Ethernet, and RS422
• Knowledge of common circuit blocks including filters, power supplies, and microcontrollers.
• Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere
• Familiarity managing projects from start to finish
• Self-motivated with strong multi-tasking, organizational, communication, and documentation skills
• Creative problem solver capable of working within a multidisciplinary team

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Extended hours and weekend work may be required to support critical project and mission milestones

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:    
Electrical Engineer/Senior: $130,000.00 - $180,000.00/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 at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, 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 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.