Space Suit/Crew Equipment Engineer

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.

SPACE SUIT/CREW EQUIPMENT ENGINEER

The Dragon Mechanical Engineer on the space suit team is responsible for the continued development of critical components and the overall Dragon IVA and EVA suits, suit fluid systems, and crew equipment.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own the design, development, test, and certification for a diverse range of new products and product enhancements on crew-interfacing hardware in Dragon including space suits, soft goods components, consumer electronics, and safety equipment
• Work with production and test teams to create work instructions, address build and test issues, and improve manufacturability
• Generate drawings and develop detailed build specifications and work instructions
• Work with crew operations and training teams on design iteration, training protocols, and flight operations for new hardware
• Perform analysis on designs including hand calculations, FEA, and CAD
• Lead design reviews internally and externally with customers
• Support projects through full lifecycle including acceptance and qual testing, vehicle checkouts, launch/recovery campaigns, and refurbishment
• Exemplify technical excellence, creativity, and extreme ownership

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or physics
• 1+ years experience with CAD and FEA software packages (internship and extracurricular experience is applicable)
• 1+ years of hands on experience driving the design and development of mechanical / electrical components or systems (internship and project team experience is applicable)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Leadership experience on an engineering or project team
• Strong experience with electronics, including but not limited to: consumer electronics design and analysis, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) electronics certification, sensors development, audio/visual systems design, and/or electrical engineering degree
• Experience with human-in-the loop testing and human-centric product design
• Experience to NX modeling and Teamcenter PLM software
• Experience with designing and operating fluids / pneumatics systems
• Strong ability to use data and analysis to make fast data driven decisions
• Prior experience in a fast-paced and technically versatile professional setting
• Master's degree in an engineering discipline

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work long hours and weekends as needed
• Ability to travel to remote sites in Texas, Florida, and Central California as needed (up to 15%)
• Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:    

Pay range:    
Space Suit/Crew Equipment Engineer/Level I: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year    
Space Suit/Crew Equipment 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.

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