SpaceX
Materials Engineer, Thermal Protection (Starship)
About this role
SpaceX seeks a Materials Engineer to develop and optimize low-density alumina-silica refractory insulators for Starship's thermal protection system. You'll design, test, and analyze materials for spacecraft re-entry heatshields while collaborating with design and production teams to enable cost-effective, scalable manufacturing.
What you'll do
- Develop and execute experiments, procedures, and tests on thermal protection components
- Design and optimize thermal protection hardware for heatshield performance and cost reduction
- Operate ceramic and chemical laboratory equipment and tools
- Partner with process engineers to create scalable production solutions
- Collaborate daily with engineering staff and technicians across departments
- Manage multiple priorities while maintaining focus on project goals
What they're looking for
- High-temperature ceramics or technical glass materials
- Thermal protection system (TPS) design and analysis
- Test plan and procedure development
- CAD software and large model interaction
- Data acquisition and field measurements
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
- Cross-functional team communication
- Material degradation and failure mode analysis
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SpaceX
SpaceX develops advanced spacecraft and satellite systems, including the Starshield government satellite constellation and Starfall re-entry cargo capsule for global delivery. The company is hiring engineers in avionics integration, software test automation, mechanical design, and hardware reliability to validate flight-critical systems and ensure mission success.
- Website
- spacex.com
Likely interview questions
- Describe your hands-on experience with high-temperature ceramics or refractory materials—what specific projects or applications?
- How have you contributed to developing a material system from concept through production, and what challenges did you encounter?