Sr. Data Engineer (Starlink Ground Networking)

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.

SR. DATA ENGINEER (STARLINK GROUND NETWORKING)

At SpaceX, we’re leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to 4M+ users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential global impact and are looking for best-in-class engineers to help maximize Starlink’s utility for communities and businesses around the globe.

As a Sr. Data Engineer, you will be responsible for developing the strategy, key metrics, tools, software services, and processes for assessing how well key aspects of Starlink are scaling and how effective the Starlink Network is itself, in serving millions of users around the globe. You will work with operators, subsystem responsible engineers, software engineers, and network engineers inside the Starlink organization as well as key contacts with various major external partners to help ensure the growth of this program.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Build and maintain mission-critical infrastructure, tools, processes, and custom software to objectively assess growth areas for the Starlink program
• Automate the aggregation of metrics and detection of widespread application issues across Starlink
• Establish and maintain relationships with key third-party application/content owners
• Build ground-based software systems that ingest, transform, and store data
• Apply data analytics, models, and techniques to data products created by network devices
• Create catalogs of data and tools that can be used by you and other teams to perform analytics 
• Fuse data from multiple sources to create usable information 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, math, or science discipline and 4 years of data/software engineering experience; OR 6+ years of professional experience in data/software engineering in lieu of a degree (internship experience is applicable)
• Development experience in an object-oriented programming language (i.e. C, C++, Python)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Professional experience in analytics, data science, or machine learning
• Experience using Spark, Presto, Flink, or Snowflake
• Expertise with storage formats like Parquet
• Familiarity with Kubernetes for containerized environments
• Experience building solutions with in-stream data processing of structured and semi-structured data  
• Experience building predictive models and machine learning pipelines (clustering analysis, prediction, anomaly detection)  
• Proven experience in custom ETL design, implementation, and maintenance
• Experience handling large (TB+) datasets 
• Experience with developing and deploying tools used for data analysis
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment that includes working with changing needs and requirements
• Ability to take on projects that require taking initiative and developing new expertise
• A proactive mindset, with the ability to tackle challenging projects and learn new skills

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to work extended hours and weekends as needed

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:    
    
Pay range:    
Software Engineer/Senior: $160,000.00 - $220,000.00/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 pai