SpaceX
Mechanical Engineer, Flight Termination System (Starship)
About this role
SpaceX seeks a Mechanical Engineer to design and develop the Flight Termination System for Starship, overseeing explosive devices and safety-critical hardware from concept through production and launch. You'll drive high-reliability component design, rigorous testing, and manufacturing optimization while collaborating across teams to meet aggressive timelines and regulatory standards.
What you'll do
- Design manufacturable explosive devices and hardware for Starship Flight Termination System, including controllers, safe-and-arm devices, and detonators
- Validate hardware reliability through shock, vibration, thermal, climatic, and live fire testing; design experiments and technical reports
- Collaborate with manufacturing and supply chain to achieve high production rates and factory yield for monthly launch cadence
- Generate detailed drawings, specifications, analysis, and risk assessments for flight termination components
- Lead root cause investigations for production, test, and launch failures; implement corrective actions
- Act as chief engineer with stage, avionics, and flight safety teams to optimize system architecture and minimize payload costs
What they're looking for
- Mechanical design and analysis (LSDYNA, ANSYS, BlastX preferred)
- High explosive device design and understanding of explosives principles
- Shock, vibration, and thermal analysis
- Electromechanical systems and safe-and-arm device design
- Manufacturing process optimization and production engineering
- Test instrumentation and control components (pressure transducers, thermocouples, solenoids)
- Technical communication across multi-disciplinary teams
- Root cause analysis and failure investigation
Benefits
- Work on safety-critical systems for human spaceflight missions
- Opportunity to shape Starship Flight Termination System architecture
- Collaborative environment with stage, avionics, and flight safety teams
- Fast-paced development with aggressive timelines and high impact
- Professional growth in aerospace and explosives engineering
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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 experience designing and testing mechanical systems under strict safety and regulatory requirements.
- Have you worked with explosive devices or high-energy systems? Walk us through a specific project.