Job Application for Propulsion Engineer, Valves (Raptor Components) at SpaceX Propulsion Engineer, Valves (Raptor Components) Hawthorne, CA Apply 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. PROPULSION ENGINEER, VALVES (RAPTOR COMPONENTS) The Raptor Components team conceptualizes, models, drafts, and supports mechanical and electro-mechanical control assemblies that run the Raptor engine. On this team, you will design and ensure success of these assemblies by combining fundamental fluid, mechanical, and electrical design elements into highly capable and integrated packages enabling streamlined manufacturing and engine operation. We design, analyze, build, test, and fly components for simplicity, manufacturability, and reliability in extreme thermal, pressure, and vibe environments. You will own the relationship between your hardware and suppliers, customers, and test teams while spearheading your own projects. You will provide input into vehicle architecture trades and take a lead role in design and flight readiness on Starship, the vehicle that will transform Earth orbit operations, normalize space technology, and make humanity multi-planetary.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Generate and improve CAD, engineering drawings, analysis, component specifications, and risk assessments to maximize vehicle reliability. Spearhead root cause investigations that arise in development, production, test, integration and launch, implementing corrective actions, proactively seeking out hardware issues, and implementing solutions early. Develop state-of-the-art, manufacturable, 99.99% reliable flow control devices. Question
requirements, delete parts and processes, simplify/optimize, accelerate, and automate component deliveries. Safely implement thorough component testing and checkouts across multiple build, test, and launch sites. Set the standard for rigorous component design and qualification testing, increasing scrutiny as the vehicle program matures in pursuit of commercial and crewed orbital missions. Partner with supply chain, manufacturing, testing, and flight teams to achieve SpaceX’s most reliable, highest rate components, striving for high factory yield and automotive volume/cost. Coordinate team of peers through informal leadership and self-directed program organization to achieve goals. Assign clear
responsibilities, motivating and holding teammates accountable for execution. Be chief engineer, collaborating with peer/engine/vehicle teams to arrive at the simplest solution for the program goals. Inform system-level architecture, with component capabilities and vulnerabilities in mind, to minimize cost of payload to orbit. BASIC
QUALIFICATIONS : Bachelor’s degree in engineering discipline or physics 1+ years of experience designing and analyzing mechanical systems via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, enthusiasm for problem solving, and desire to optimize modern rocket production and launch processes Strong leadership project management skills and experience, and effective communication of technical concepts across multi-disciplinary teams Master's degree or 1+ years of professional experience in mechanical or aerospace engineering Experience designing, building, testing, and troubleshooting mechanical systems Understanding of fundamental principles in fluid systems, solid mechanics, and/or electrical systems Hands-on experience with fluid, gas, mechanical, high voltage, or test instrumentation and control Knowledge of electro-mechanical devices, gears, actuators, motors, valves, regulators, or pumps ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS: 10% travel in support of hardware testing and launch operations Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed
COMPENSATION AND
BENEFITS: Pay range: Propulsion Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year Propulsion Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00/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 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 and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and
perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use
requirements of the law. ITAR
REQUIREMENTS: To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be 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 reach out to [email protected] . Create a Job Alert Interested in building your career at SpaceX? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email. Create alert Apply for this job * indicates a required field Autofill with MyGreenhouse First Name * Last Name * Preferred First Name Email * Phone Country * Phone * Location (City) * Locate me Resume/CV * Attach Attach Enter manually Enter manually Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf Education School * Select... Degree * Select... Discipline Select... Add another LinkedIn Profile Portfolio or Cover Letter Attach Attach Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf How did you hear about this job? * Select... If event or other, please specify below. Please specify GPA (Undergraduate) * Select... Please convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale. Select "Not applicable/Do not recall" if you do not have or do not remember your undergraduate GPA. GPA (Graduate) * Select... Please convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale. Select "Not applicable/Do not recall" if you do not have or do not remember your graduate GPA. GPA (Doctorate) * Select... Please convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale. Select "Not applicable/Do not recall" if you do not have or do not remember your doctorate GPA. SAT Score * Select... ACT Score * Select... GRE Score * Select... Active Security Clearance(s) * Select... SpaceX Employment History * Select... Can you perform all of the essential functions of this role with or without reasonable accommodations? * Select... Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? * Select... Citizenship Status * Select... 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 ITAR here . If (f) Other, please explain: Voluntary Self-Identification For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file. As set forth in SpaceX’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law. Gender Select... Are you Hispanic/Latino? Select... Race & Ethnicity Definitions If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows: A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to
compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to
compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability. A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service. An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense. An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985. Veteran Status Select... Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305 Page 1 of 1 OMB Control Number 1250-0005 Expires 04/30/2026 Why are you being asked to complete this form? We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years. Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp . How do you know if you have a disability? A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to: Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally) Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS Blind or low vision Cancer (past or present) Cardiovascular or heart disease Celiac disease Cerebral palsy Deaf or serious difficulty hearing Diabetes Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders Epilepsy or other seizure disorder Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome Intellectual or developmental disability Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD Missing limbs or partially missing limbs Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities Partial or complete paralysis (any cause) Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema Short stature (dwarfism) Traumatic brain injury Disability Status Select... PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete. Submit application Powered by Greenhouse
