Join SpaceX as a Propulsion Engineer to develop and qualify processes for the Dragon spacecraft's propulsion systems.
Posted by employer 9 hours ago
First seen on Joblaze 1 hour ago
Last verified on the company career page 1 hour ago
What you'll build
- Own piece parts and assembled propulsion sub-systems
- Develop and qualify new processes
- Resolve manufacturing discrepancies
- Support day-to-day production of assemblies
- Identify and execute capital equipment upgrades
Must have
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or physics
- 1+ years of hands-on experience in mechanical components or systems
Nice to have
- Master's degree in aerospace, mechanical, systems, or manufacturing engineering
- Experience with design for manufacturability and assembly
- Experience with welding, machining, and coating process
- Knowledge of principles of chemistry, engineering, fluid dynamics, and mechanics of materials
- Experience conducting pressure and leak testing
- Familiarity with CAD and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
Practical constraints
- Position may require extended work hours and weekend work
- Position requires working directly with hardware on the floor for extended periods of time
Requirements
- Experience
- 1+ years
- Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Visa
- No sponsorship (stated in posting)
Benefits
Joblaze summary
The Propulsion Engineer for SpaceX's Dragon program is responsible for overseeing the manufacturing of propulsion and environmental systems, ensuring they meet production timelines while maintaining safety and quality standards. This role requires a solid foundation in engineering principles, with hands-on experience in mechanical systems and processes, particularly in design for manufacturability and assembly. Ideal candidates will have a background in aerospace or mechanical engineering, along with practical skills in testing and process improvement. The position involves close collaboration with various teams and may require extended hours on the production floor.
Joblaze insights
- Listed today — first seen on Joblaze October 21, 2026. Last confirmed on SpaceX's careers page October 21, 2026.
- Salary band is below the typical range for comparable tech roles (median ~$129,582).
- Starts above 26% of 1342 comparable mid other roles in United States we track (median $105,000 across 186 companies).
Quick facts
- Is the Propulsion Engineer (Dragon) role remote?
- No — this is an on-site role in Hawthorne, CA, United States.
- 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 Propulsion Engineer (Dragon) role.
- Where is the role based?
- SpaceX is hiring for this position in Hawthorne, CA, United States.
- What seniority level is this role?
- SpaceX targets mid-level candidates for this position.
- Is this full-time or contract?
- Full-time for this Propulsion Engineer (Dragon) 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.
PROPULSION ENGINEER (DRAGON)
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Own piece parts and assembled propulsion and/or environmental and thermal sub-systems throughout the manufacturing process with a focus on delivery to meet Dragon rate and USDV delivery timelines while maintaining safety and part quality
- Develop and qualify new processes to take products from design to production
- Resolve manufacturing discrepancies for all owned parts and processes by collaborating with the design engineering, production, and quality teams
- Support day-to-day production of assemblies, high-pressure testing, and integration of hardware
- Identify, plan, and execute capital equipment, machine, and layout upgrades to the meet volume production demand
- Find and eliminate process waste, streamline production processes, and enable continuous improvement
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or physics
- 1+ years of hands-on experience driving the design, building, testing, manufacturing, or development of mechanical components or systems
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master's degree in aerospace, mechanical, systems, or manufacturing engineering
- Experience with design for manufacturability and assembly
- Experience with welding, machining, and coating process
- Knowledge of principles of chemistry, engineering, fluid dynamics, and mechanics of materials
- Experience conducting pressure and leak testing using instrumentation such as helium mass spectrometers, flow meters, pressure transducers, and thermocouples
- Experience with capacity modeling, process mapping, and fault analysis
- Experience performing pareto analysis, root cause and corrective action experience
- Experience performing PFMEAs
- Familiarity with CAD and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) experience
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Position may require extended work hours and weekend work
- Position requires working directly with hardware on the floor for extended periods of time
Pay Range:
Level 1: $100,000.00 - $130,000.00
Level 2: $115,000.00 - $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.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
Standard company text repeated across SpaceX's postings is omitted here.