Software Engineer, CDN (Starlink)

About this role

SpaceX seeks a Software Engineer to design and build a scalable Content Delivery Network (CDN) for Starlink, the world's largest satellite constellation. You'll architect distributed systems for traffic management, optimize hardware utilization, and develop the infrastructure supporting Starlink's expansion to billions of users globally.

What you'll do

• Design, build, and scale a new CDN system for Starlink's broadband network
• Develop robust, responsive distributed systems with focus on scalability and reliability
• Create monitoring, alerting, and diagnostic tools for operating business-critical systems
• Design algorithms to optimize hardware utilization and cost efficiency metrics
• Implement traffic shaping and management systems across multiple CDN nodes
• Lead architecture reviews and prototype new features for future Starlink capabilities

What they're looking for

• C, C++, or Rust programming
• Distributed systems design and implementation
• Network architecture and protocols (layers 0-7)
• CDN infrastructure, DNS, load balancing, and traffic management
• Edge networking, caching, SSL/TLS, and DDoS protection
• Graph theory, numerical optimization, or convex optimization techniques
• System monitoring and observability tooling
• Problem-solving and analytical thinking

Benefits

• Competitive salary ($135K-$185K depending on level) plus stock options and bonuses
• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match and ESPP
• 3 weeks paid vacation, 10+ paid holidays, and 5 days sick leave
• Paid parental leave and life/disability insurance
• Company shuttles from select Seattle locations to Redmond office

Likely interview questions

• Describe your experience designing or scaling distributed systems—what were the key challenges and how did you address them?
• Walk us through a complex networking problem you've solved involving multiple layers of the OSI model.