Hardware Engineer - Electrical, Satellites (Starlink)
SpaceXJob Title
Hardware Engineer - Electrical, Satellites (Starlink)
Role Summary
Design and deliver flight-grade electrical hardware for Starlink satellites, owning work from system design through production, test, and on-orbit performance. The role sits on Avionics or Payload teams and collaborates with mechanical, thermal, software, test, supply chain, and silicon teams.
Work focuses on high-speed digital communications, mixed-signal electronics, power systems, and hardware integration for mass-produced spacecraft.
Experience Level
Entry-level / Early career — typical requirement: 1+ years of experience designing circuits, electronic products, or hardware. Interns and co-op applicants are explicitly considered.
Responsibilities
Deliver production-ready satellite electronics and participate across the full hardware lifecycle.
- Capture requirements, perform system trade studies, and select components.
- Create schematics and oversee PCB layout and prototyping.
- Perform hardware bring-up, debug, verification, and qualification testing.
- Support manufacturing, integration, and on-orbit performance monitoring.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (mechanical, thermal, software, test, supply chain, silicon).
- Drive documentation, design reviews, and manufacturability considerations.
- Support mission-critical schedules, including occasional extended hours or travel.
Requirements
Must-have skills and constraints required to perform the role.
- 1+ years of hands-on experience designing circuits, electronic products, or hardware (internships/co-ops count).
- Experience testing, troubleshooting, and debugging electronics and systems.
- Practical experience with hardware bring-up, prototyping, and production support.
- Proficiency with programming or scripting for engineering tasks (Python, C/C++ preferred).
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment and communicate technical trade-offs.
- Must meet U.S. export control requirements for ITAR-restricted work (U.S. person or eligible for required authorizations).
Nice-to-have / Preferred
- Experience designing mixed-signal PCBs with processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, multi-GHz SerDes, DDR interfaces, I2C/SPI, ADCs/DACs, and power supplies.
- 2+ years of professional product development experience delivering hardware from concept through production.
- Prior aerospace or satellite systems experience.
- Experience with high-reliability and space-qualified electronics design practices.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Physics is required. A Master's degree in EE/CE or a related engineering field is preferred. Internships and co-op experience are acceptable as qualifying experience.
About the Company
Company: SpaceX
Headquarters: Hawthorne, California, United States
SpaceX is focused on developing space technologies to enable human exploration of Mars and beyond. The company is known for its advancements in rocketry and its Starlink satellite constellation, which delivers high-speed internet globally.
