New Graduate Engineer, Software

About the Role

SpaceX is developing the technologies to make humanity multiplanetary, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars. As a software engineer on the SpaceX team, you will demonstrate extreme ownership through detailed and thorough design, testing, and deployment – ultimately seeing your software through all aspects of its life cycle. You will work with many cross-disciplinary teams and will need to think at a system level to ensure that your code is viable. Development timelines are quick, requiring rigorous exploration of solutions for previously unsolved or unknown problems.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to a dynamic role, aligned to the part of the program where your skill set is most effective.
• Develop highly reliable autonomous software systems and the simulations required to validate them.
• Own all aspects of software development, including design, testing, and integration to the mission.
• Work with counterpart engineering teams to develop and maintain launch and vehicle software.
• Witness an impossible idea manifest in real life, transitioning from building hardware to flying reusable rockets and deploying complex satellites.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or other engineering discipline.
• Graduating with a bachelor's degree, master's degree, or PhD in 2026 or 2027.
• Proven skills and knowledge of C++, Rust, or other systems programming language.
• Experience building or working with real-time embedded systems or distributed computing systems.
• Strong focus and interest in designing, architecting, and implementing excellent, bug-free software.
• Strong critical thinking and first-principles problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment, assume high levels of responsibility, and demonstrate accountability for software outcomes.
• Experience working at a nimble engineering organization or in a highly technical position requiring a scrappy, entrepreneurial manner with tight time or budget constraints.
• Excelled in ultra-competitive environments (e.g., podium finish in engineering, math, or science competitions; top percentile scholastic or standardized test scores; other feats of intellectual achievement).
• Succeeded in multiple endeavors at once (e.g., worked through college, student athlete, strong performance in multiple fields).
• Demonstrated rapid growth (e.g., successive positions of increasing responsibility, quick learning pace, accomplished something meaningfully difficult early in career).
• Success in academics at a rigorous and highly regarded university: minimum GPA 3.5/4.0 or higher, standardized test scores minimum 95th percentile, merit-based scholarship recipient.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
• An active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions and will subject you to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing.

Compensation and Benefits

• Pay range: Software Engineering/Level I: $125,000.00 - $145,000.00/per year.
• Actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Potential eligibility for long-term incentives (company stock, long-term cash awards), discretionary bonuses, and Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage.
• Access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
• Short and long-term disability insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Paid parental leave.
• Various other discounts and perks.
• Accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation.
• Eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year.
• Accrued paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy.

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.