Thermal Engineer (Raptor Components)

Hawthorne, California, United StatesOnsiteFull TimeEntry-level (exp-based)$100,000–$135,000 /yrPosted 2 months agoVisa sponsorship available

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Role summary

The Raptor Components team is seeking a Thermal Engineer to design, analyze, and support mechanical and electro-mechanical control assemblies for the Raptor engine. This role involves maintaining the temperature of sensitive components in extreme environments, ensuring the reliability and manufacturability of hardware. You will collaborate with suppliers, customers, and test teams, spearheading projects and influencing vehicle architecture. Responsibilities include generating CAD, engineering drawings, analysis, and risk assessments, leading root cause investigations, and implementing corrective actions. The position requires a Bachelor's degree in engineering or physics with at least 1 year of experience in thermal systems design and analysis. Preferred skills include experience with thermal modeling tools (FEA, CFD) and various thermal management techniques.

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.

THERMAL ENGINEER (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 maintaining the temperature of sensitive components, while being located near 70–5000K fluids. 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 thermal systems via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

Experience applying heat transfer principles (conduction, convection, radiation) and thermal modeling tools (e.g., finite element analysis or computational fluid dynamics software).

Experience applying thermal management techniques from electronics cooling (e.g., heat sinks, phase-change materials, or liquid cooling loops) to transferable to extreme (high and low) temperature aerospace applications.

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 principals 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: Thermal Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $115,000.00/per yearThermal 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, 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 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 EEOCompliance@spacex.com.

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