Software Engineer, Satellite Operations (Starshield)

SpaceX

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Hawthorne, CA
Salary: $125,000–$150,000 / yr
Posted: today

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Salary context

Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $164k

This role $138k

$117k most similar roles pay here $201k

This role pays less than 59% of similar roles. Most pay $135,000–$193,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $138k versus about $164k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft with the mission of enabling humans to become a multi-planetary species. It operates the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, as well as the Starlink satellite internet constellation.

SpaceX currently has 604 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $130,000–$155,000 across 440 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Software Engineer, Satellite Operations (Starshield)

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As a Software Engineer on Starshield’s GNC Operations team, you will develop and maintain software that ensures the reliable and autonomous operation of satellite constellations. Your daily tasks include designing and implementing flight software, building ground-based automation tools for telemetry and alerting systems, and collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams to diagnose and resolve on-orbit issues. You’ll work with technologies like C++, Python, Docker, Kubernetes, PostgreSQL, and RESTful APIs to create robust, scalable solutions. This role requires a strong background in computer science or aerospace engineering, along with experience in software development, debugging, and performance optimization. The team focuses on secure and autonomous satellite operations at scale, making this an ideal position for engineers passionate about space technology and system reliability.

Skills

Python C++ Docker Kubernetes PostgreSQL CockroachDB RESTful APIs gRPC CI/CD Terraform AWS Prometheus Grafana Git Jenkins

What you'll do

Own the complete lifecycle of software and systems, from development to maintenance.
Develop reliable and available software for satellite tasking and monitoring.
Design and implement safe and performant satellite flight software.
Build automated ground-based systems integrating data processing with satellite control.
Act as a cross-disciplinary expert in diagnosing on-orbit faults and implementing solutions.

What we're looking for

Bachelor's degree in computer science, aerospace engineering, physics, or another engineering discipline
Experience developing and deploying HTTP servers for scalable web operations and real-time monitoring applications
Proficiency in C, C++, Python, or similar programming languages
Knowledge of relational databases (PostgreSQL, CockroachDB) and inter-process communications (RESTful APIs, gRPC)
Active Top Secret clearance or willingness to obtain one
Experience with debugging, performance optimization, and unit testing

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