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Mechanical Integration & Test Engineer (Starshield)

Join SpaceX as a Mechanical Integration & Test Engineer to ensure satellite missions succeed through hands-on integration and testing.

Location
Hawthorne, CA
Compensation
$100k–$130k/yr
Level
mid
Type
full time · On-site

Posted by employer 2 months ago

First seen on Joblaze 1 month ago

Last verified on the company career page 2 hours ago

Skills & Technologies

Python MATLAB Flexible on stack

Requirements

Experience
1+ years
Education
Bachelor's degree

Not disclosed in this posting: visa sponsorship.

Benefits

401k Match Paid Vacation Paid Sick Leave Equity/Stock Options Paid Holidays Health Insurance Parental Leave

Joblaze summary

The Mechanical Integration & Test Engineer at SpaceX plays a crucial role in managing the integration and testing of satellite systems, ensuring that all components function as intended. This position requires a solid foundation in engineering principles, with hands-on experience in design and manufacturing, as well as familiarity with programming languages like MATLAB or Python. Ideal candidates are those with at least a year of relevant experience who can navigate complex, ambiguous challenges in a fast-paced environment. The role is integral to the company's mission of advancing space technology and may involve collaboration across various departments.

Joblaze insights

  • Listed about a month ago — first seen on Joblaze September 6, 2026. Last confirmed on SpaceX's careers page November 4, 2026.
  • Salary band is below the typical range for comparable tech roles (median ~$128,000).
  • Starts above 9% of 345 comparable mid other roles in United States that list Python we track (median $110,000 across 60 companies). See Python salary trends
  • Python appears in 17.9% of 3359 comparable mid other roles in United States; MATLAB appears in 3.8% of 3359 comparable mid other roles in United States.

Quick facts

Is the Mechanical Integration & Test Engineer (Starshield) role remote?
No — this is an on-site role in Hawthorne, CA.
What's the salary range?
SpaceX lists $100,000–$130,000 for this role.
How much experience is required?
At least 1 year of relevant experience for this Mechanical Integration & Test Engineer (Starshield) role.
Where is the role based?
SpaceX is hiring for this position in Hawthorne, CA.
What's the tech stack?
Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: MATLAB, Python.
What seniority level is this role?
SpaceX targets mid-level candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?
Full-time for this Mechanical Integration & Test Engineer (Starshield) role at SpaceX.

From the original posting

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

MECHANICAL INTEGRATION & TEST ENGINEER (STARSHIELD)

Integration and Test engineers are responsible for understanding every system on the satellite and across our user products. Engineers on this team must have a working knowledge of design, schematics, operations, manufacturing, testing, and flight. A successful Integration and Test Engineer demonstrates engineering intuition and critical thinking and is comfortable working under ambiguous requirements with minimal oversight. Combining these skills, these engineers face challenges across a wide variety of work centers at the company, and the team is frequently asked to tackle new, inter-departmental development projects. The ultimate goal of the Integration and Test team is to ensure that satellites and customers achieve their mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Manage integration build flow and test operations
  • Evaluate proposed designs for manufacturability and integration
  • Interface with both engineers and technicians to optimize manufacturing and automation
  • Develop and refine manufacturing assembly procedures based on lessons learned
  • Enable day-to-day execution of the vehicle integration and test flow
  • Evaluate non-conformances to determine root cause and create actionable items and system improvements

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
  • 1+ years of design and/or hands-on manufacturing experience (internships, collegiate engineering projects such as Formula SAE, Baja SAE, etc., or professional industry experience will be considered)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Ability and willingness to obtain a Top Secret clearance
  • Master's degree in an engineering discipline
  • Experience with MATLAB, Python, or other programming language
  • Experience with integration and testing of propulsion, thermal, electrical and/or structural systems
  • Experience integrating avionics systems
  • Documentation and configuration management experience
  • Experience writing test plans, procedures, and providing go/no-go judgment and rationale
  • Experience in a production environment
  • Demonstrated engineering intuition, critical thinking, and comfort with ambiguity

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • Some travel to other SpaceX sites may be required as needed, up to 10%
  • Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to meet mission-critical deadlines
  • This position is very hands-on and requires one to be on their feet for extended periods of time, up to 4 hours at a time
  • Will often work side by side with our technicians and must be able to climb ladders, stoop, bend, crawl, and work in tight spaces
  • 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 AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
Level 1: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00
Level 2: $125,000.00 - $160,000.00

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also 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 which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

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:

Standard company text repeated across SpaceX's postings is omitted here.

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