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.

BUILD ENGINEER, FLUID SYSTEMS (DRAGON)

The Dragon Fluid Systems Manufacturing team builds, tests, troubleshoots, and delivers fluid assemblies that enable critical capabilities on the Dragon vehicle – including the vehicle’s life support, thermal control, and propulsion systems. Our engineers serve as hardware experts for the various assemblies that make up these systems aboard Dragon, and are directly responsible for ensuring the reliable performance of these assemblies on the ground and in space. 

Engineers on the team take full ownership over their hardware: from urgently troubleshooting issues at test/launch sites and performing hands-on testing to inform development or root cause investigations, to implementing design or test upgrades to improve reliability or reuse.  As the Dragon program continues to deliver cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station, we are seeking hands-on engineers to tackle failure investigations, rapidly implement design upgrades, perform flight-like testing to ensure mission success, and deliver hardware at an industry-leading rate without sacrificing quality or capability. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own the production, assembly and testing of propulsion, environmental and thermal control system components and assemblies for the Dragon program. 
• Create assembly and test work instructions, as well as design fixtures and tooling to enable efficient and reliable production. 
• Coordinate and collaborate with production resource areas and multi-disciplinary teams on anomalies that arise during build and test. 
• Work closely with design engineers, build and test technicians, internal machine shops and external vendors to make parts that are designed for manufacturability. 
• Resolve and analyze manufacturing and test discrepancies, while interfacing with the quality team (resolving issues for design, fabrication, and assembly). 
• Support component & assembly-level testing such as proof and leak, fluid flow and functional checkouts.  
• Collaborate with partners at the Cape to coordinate retrofit operations for hardware upgrades to maximize mission success.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or physics.
• 1+ years of experience manufacturing, building, testing, or troubleshooting hardware via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience with design for manufacturability and assembly.
• Knowledge of principles of chemistry, engineering, fluid dynamics and mechanics of materials.
• Experience with welding, especially orbital tube welding.
• Understanding of fundamental principals in fluid systems and solid mechanics.
• Experience conducting pressure and leak testing using instrumentation such as helium mass spectrometers, flow meters, pressure transducers, and thermocouples.
• Familiarity with CAD and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Position may require extended work hours and weekend work.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:          

Build Engineer/Level I: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year            

Build Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00/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 & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation & will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Exempt employees are eligible for 5 days of sick leave per year.

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. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

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.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should notify the Human Resources Department at (310) 363-6000.