Sr. Hardware Reliability Engineer, Electrical (Starshield) Verified today

About Starshield

Starshield leverages SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. It is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.

The Role

As a Sr. Hardware Reliability Engineer for Starshield, you will ensure the reliability and performance of satellites by identifying, analyzing, and resolving hardware failures to improve the robustness and longevity of PCBAs. You will work on cutting-edge R&D technology and some of the most complex applications of electrical engineering in the industry.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot, root cause, and investigate failures in Starshield production non-conforming hardware
• Utilize design schematics, test equipment, and inspection processes to identify the physics of failures
• Take ownership in containing suspect or known non-conforming products, driving root cause investigation progress and providing regular updates to technicians, production leadership, and engineering
• Drive corrective action to products not meeting design specifications through data-driven decisions using yield and defect monitoring
• Work closely with test engineers to maintain feedback loops improving test assets and reducing false failures
• Maximize return on investment for test and inspection processes, determining where to apply lean process checks
• Identify areas for electrical design and manufacturing improvements through new product development cycles
• Maintain thorough documentation of failure analysis findings, test results, and corrective actions
• Collaborate with on-orbit reliability team to drive timely improvements to production
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior engineers
• Serve as technical expert in electronics manufacturing processes to challenge requirements and steer the department towards value-added testing

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or other engineering discipline
• 5+ years in hardware development, failure analysis, or reliability engineering
• 2+ years of experience with electrical test equipment (multimeters, signal generators, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers) used to verify hardware functionality

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master's degree in electrical engineering or equivalent engineering discipline
• 8+ years of industry experience working with electronic hardware
• Experience with digital and mixed-signal designs, power electronics, or RF electronics using oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, power supplies, and soldering equipment
• Demonstrated experience troubleshooting and root causing electrical hardware failures
• PCBA fabrication experience (familiar with solder, flux, underfill, staking, reflow, temperature control, etc.)
• Experience with environmental testing such as HALT/HASS, thermal, vibration, and TVAC
• Experience with RF test equipment (e.g. vector network analyzer, spectrum analyzer) and concepts such as S-parameters, impedance matching, and antenna designs
• Proficiency in programming languages (Python, SQL, C, C++)
• Knowledgeable of IPC standards such as IPC-A-610G
• Experience with analog, digital, and mixed signal circuit testing
• Experience with Design for Excellence (DFX), root cause, derating, and related analyses
• Experience with RF hardware testing
• Experience with digital communications interfaces including SPI, I2C, CAN, Ethernet, and RS422
• Experience with Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE)
• Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, DOE Level Q clearance, or the ability and willingness to obtain one

Additional Requirements

• Able to work extended hours and weekends as needed to support critical path development and/or critical on-orbit operations
• An active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions; if so, you will be subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing

Compensation

Pay Range: $165,000.00 - $230,000.00

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, discretionary bonuses, and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy.

Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.