Sr. Electrical Design Engineer, Satellites Payload (Starlink)

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. ELECTRICAL DESIGN ENGINEER, SATELLITE PAYLOAD (STARLINK) The  Starlink  team  desi gns, b uilds, and operates  the world’s  most advanced  communi cation netwo rk.  Comprised o f over  ten thou sand sate llites  in  l ow Ear th orbit  and   dozens o f  ant enna  ins tallatio ns  on the ground ,  this  syste m  delivers   broadband   internet  to  more than   ten million  cus tomers around the wo rld.   We  develop   nearly e very key p iece of  technolo gy in h ouse   –  f rom the  satellites’  flight  computer and  electric pro p ulsion syst ems  to  the ir  a dvanced phased a rray antennas  and the  AS ICs which   enable  them.   W e’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential global impact , and a s we continue to upgrade and  scale  the  system , we’re looking for best-in-class engineers to join the team.   As an Electrical Design Engineer on the Starlink Payload Engineering team, you’ll have ownership over the entire life- cycle of the hardware that enables this connectivity, and sits at the intersection of electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, and antenna/RF engineering. Our team specializes in the design of industry-leading phased array and parabolic antennas, as well as the fully custom networking, compute, and modem hardware which drive them. Common design elements include high power mixed-signal ASICs, cutting edge PAM4 SerDes, fully custom RF front ends and antenna elements, highly reliable and dense power conversion and distribution, extreme temperature environments, custom copper and optoelectronic interconnect, and tight electromechanical/thermal integration designed for mass manufacturing. Engineers are deeply involved with their products from concept to deorbit. Typical ownership spans block diagrams and high-level concept of operations definition, requirements capture, part selection and schematic capture, PCB layout oversight, signal and power integrity analysis, supply chain and vendor engagement, hardware bring up and qualification, production test definition, troubleshooting and failure analysis, review of hardware performance on orbit, and the incorporation of lessons learned and design improvements for the next generation.     RESPONSIBILITIES :   Rapidly develop high-reliability electronics for satellites and spacecraft. Drive system trades, requirements capture, component selection, analysis, schematic capture, PCB layout, prototyping, hardware bring-up, debugging, documentation, manufacturing, test, and on-orbit performance of complex electrical designs Get hands-on and support hardware through production, satellite integration, and flight Work closely with engineers from adjacent disciplines (mechanical, thermal, software, test, supply chain, silicon design, RF and antenna, ) to deliver tightly integrated, high-performance hardware Challenge assumptions, question requirements, learn from your mistakes, and approach problems with an open mind BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:   Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or another STEM discipline 5+ years of experience design/analysis ofcircuits, electronic products, or hardware   PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE :   Master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or similar engineering degree 5+ years of electronic product experience designing hardware from concept through production; strong emphasis on full life-cycle development of new hardware products and not small incremental updates to legacy hardware 3+ years of experience designing and implementing mixed-signal circuit boards from concept through production using processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, multi-GHz Serdes, DRAM interfaces (DDR4, LPDDR5, etc.), I2C, SPI, RFsignal chains , operational amplifiers, analog to digital and digital to analog converters, and power supply components   3+ years of professional experience testing, troubleshooting, and debugging electronics Strong understanding of computers and programming languages (Python, C/C++) Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role Experience working on space grade hardware ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:   Ability to work extended hours or weekends as needed for mission critical deadlines Some travel may occasionally be required 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] .