Sr. Hardware Design Engineer - Electrical, Satellite Payload (Starlink)

Job Title

Senior Hardware Design Engineer - Electrical, Satellite Payload (Starlink)

Role Summary

Design and deliver high-reliability electrical hardware for the Starlink satellite payload, including mixed-signal ASICs, RF front ends, phased-array antennas, power systems, and dense interconnects. The role covers the full hardware lifecycle from requirements and schematic capture through PCB layout oversight, prototyping, qualification, production test, and on-orbit performance review.

Member of the Starlink Payload Engineering team in Palo Alto, CA, collaborating closely with mechanical, thermal, software, RF/antenna, silicon, and manufacturing teams to produce space-grade hardware.

Experience Level

Senior-level. The role expects 5+ years of experience in electronic hardware or circuit design and analysis.

Responsibilities

Accountabilities for design, integration, and delivery of satellite payload hardware.

• Develop high-reliability satellite electronics from concept through production and on-orbit operations.
• Lead system trades, requirements capture, component selection, schematic design, and PCB layout oversight.
• Perform signal and power integrity analysis, prototyping, hardware bring-up, debugging, and failure analysis.
• Define production and qualification tests and support manufacturing and supplier engagement.
• Collaborate with adjacent disciplines (mechanical, thermal, software, silicon, RF/antenna, test) for tight electromechanical and thermal integration.
• Support satellite integration, system-level testing, and continuous improvement based on on-orbit performance.

Requirements

Essential technical skills, experience, and eligibility. Education requirements are listed below.

• 5+ years of professional experience designing or analyzing circuits, electronic products, or hardware.
• Proven track record delivering electronic products from concept through production; emphasis on full life-cycle development.
• Professional experience testing, troubleshooting, and debugging electronics (3+ years preferred).
• Experience with mixed-signal PCB design and interfaces such as processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, multi-GHz SerDes, DRAM (DDR4/LPDDR5), I2C, SPI, RF signal chains, op-amps, ADCs/DACs, and power supply components (3+ years preferred).
• Strong software skills for hardware support: Python and C/C++.
• Demonstrated ability to work in highly cross-functional teams and manage manufacturability constraints.
• Experience with space-grade hardware is preferred.
• ITAR/export-control eligibility required: must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be able to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.
• Ability to work extended hours or weekends as needed for mission-critical deadlines; occasional travel may be required.

Education Requirements

Required: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or another STEM discipline. Preferred: Master's degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering or a similar engineering field. (No certifications or equivalency language was specified beyond degree preferences.)

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.