Principal Test Engineer, Compute Payload (Starmind)

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.
PRINCIPAL TEST ENGINEER, COMPUTE PAYLOAD (STARMIND)
SpaceX is leveraging its experience deploying and operating the world’s largest satellite constellation to develop Starmind, a new constellation of satellites capturing solar energy in space to power low-cost, high-performance AI compute for Earth. Realizing this vision demands highly reliable, high performance compute hardware systems which must operate in the extreme environment of space.
The Starmind team designs, builds, and operates the orbital compute fabric of the future. We develop nearly every key piece of technology in house – from the satellites’ flight computers and power systems to the fully custom compute electronics, memory, and networking that form the brain of our on-orbit data centers.
As a Principal Test Engineer on the Starmind Compute Payload team, you’ll have ownership over the system which validates the hardware that enables advanced on-orbit AI processing and data center workloads. You will dive into technical details, drive architecture and design trades, mentor engineers, and build the team’s technical bar. Beyond test & automation design, you will analyze, validate, and troubleshoot power and fluid systems for test; define processes; design fixtures and tools. Critically, you will use your experience to identify opportunities to improve both products and processes to unlock aggressive production ramp targets.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Design and implement test processes which seamlessly integrate into electro-mechanical assembly line with rapid iteration
Create sustainable, automated test systems which have robust mechanical and software systems
Manage physical infrastructure of test integration and operations
Interface with engineers, specialists and technicians to optimize testing operations
Collaborate with the mechanical design team and end users to incorporate designs for test optimization
Lead development tests ensuring incremental milestones for the production ramp are met
Track manufacturing system key metrics around rate, cost, and quality
Identify tooling and hardware requirements, design and implement them into production processes. Rapidly iterate by evaluating non-conformances to determine root cause and drive test optimization
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
10+ years of experience in a manufacturing or test environment demonstrating automation control accomplishments via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Master’s degree or PhD in an engineering discipline
Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and lead technical teams without relying solely on formal authority
Demonstrated experience working in a highly adaptive and iterative environment