Principal Electrical Engineer, Satellites (Starlink) Verified today
Principal Electrical Engineer (Starlink)
SpaceX is deploying Starlink, the world's largest satellite constellation delivering fast, reliable broadband to millions of users. You will have ownership over the entire life-cycle of the hardware that enables this connectivity, working at the intersection of electrical, mechanical, thermal, software, and antenna/RF engineering.
Your challenges will include high-speed digital communications, analog design, network system integration, power electronics, and RF devices. Work spans system design and schematic capture through PCB layout oversight, hardware troubleshooting, silicon requirements, production, and test.
Two sub-teams may host your role:
- Avionics: Design bus avionics systems that control the vehicle, convert and distribute kilowatts of power, route high-speed traffic, and connect satellites via space lasers.
- Payload: Design phased arrays, parabolic antennas, and custom compute and modem electronics for user connectivity.
Your placement will be determined during interviews based on technical fit, expertise, and preference.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and test highly reliable electronics for satellite communication
- Evaluate third-party electrical and design integration solutions
- Partner with software, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and production test teams
- Drive system trades, requirements capture, component selection, analysis, schematic capture, PCB layout, prototyping, hardware bring-up, debugging, documentation, manufacturing, and test
- Support hardware through production, satellite integration, and flight operations
- Work with engineers from adjacent disciplines to deliver integrated, high-performance hardware
- Drive continual improvements by building tools to analyze on-orbit and lab data
- Challenge assumptions and find simple solutions to complex problems
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering
- 8+ years of experience designing circuits, electronic products, or hardware (internship and project team experience applicable)
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Master's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or similar field
- 2+ years of professional experience rapidly designing and delivering highly reliable products
- 2+ years of electronic product experience designing hardware from concept through production
- 2+ years designing and implementing mixed-signal circuit boards using processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, multi-GHz Serdes, DRAM interfaces (DDR4), I2C, SPI, operational amplifiers, ADC/DAC, and power supply components
- 2+ years of professional experience testing, troubleshooting, and debugging electronics
- Strong understanding of computers and programming languages (Python, C/C++)
- Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role
- 2+ years of aerospace systems experience
Additional Requirements
- Ability to work extended hours or weekends as needed for mission critical deadlines
Compensation
Level 3: $190,000.00 to $290,000.00 base salary, determined case-by-case based on job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.
Benefits include long-term incentives (stock or cash awards), discretionary bonuses, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, medical/vision/dental coverage, 401(k), disability and life insurance, paid parental leave, 3 weeks paid vacation, 10+ paid holidays per year, and paid sick time (Washington State). Company shuttles available from select Seattle locations to Redmond office Monday to Friday.
ITAR Requirement
Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158, or be eligible to obtain required authorization from the U.S. Department of State.