Principal Mechanical Engineer (Starship)

- Design and development: Lead the conceptual and detailed design of mechanical systems and components for Starship, including structures, mechanisms, and vehicle hardware, ensuring they meet performance, reliability, and mass targets

- Continuous improvement: Identify opportunities for innovation and improvement in mechanical designs, manufacturing methods, and integration processes to enhance vehicle capability and production efficiency

- Product testing: Plan and conduct testing and validation of new mechanical designs, hardware, and modifications to verify compliance with safety, performance, and environmental requirements.

- Technical support: Provide technical expertise and guidance to cross-functional teams on mechanical system design, integration, and operation throughout the vehicle lifecycle

- Project management: Lead or contribute to mechanical engineering projects from concept through qualification and flight, ensuring adherence to budget, schedule, and technical objectives

- Compliance and standards: Stay informed about aerospace industry standards, codes, and regulations, and ensure that designs and hardware comply with relevant requirements

- Documentation: Prepare technical reports, specifications, drawings, and documentation related to design, analysis, testing, and manufacturing activities

- Bachelor's degree in engineering and 8+ years of professional experience

- 7+ years of experience leading teams to produce engineering products

- Master's degree in aerospace engineering or relevant engineering discipline

- Professional experience working with launch vehicles, space vehicles, command and control systems, and/or ground/space sensor systems

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with direct experience negotiating technical deliverables or scope

- Significant experience leading cross-functional teams and working with external customers and systems engineering and technical assistance (SETA) representatives

- Significant experience leading and performing quantitative system of systems architecture trades and development

- Experience working with government or commercial spacecraft entities

- Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere

- Must be available to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to support critical milestones or operations shifts

- Must be willing to travel to other SpaceX offices and customer locations as needed, up to 25%