--- title: 'CMF Designer - Color, Material, and Finish (Starlink) at SpaceX' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/cmf-designer-color-material-and-finish-starlink-spacex-bastrop-ttw3sy7a4tcv' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-11-03' --- # CMF Designer - Color, Material, and Finish (Starlink) at SpaceX - **Company:** SpaceX - **Location:** Bastrop, TX - **Posted:** 2026-05-29 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-03 - **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/spacex/jobs/8570197002?gh_jid=8570197002 ## Job description 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. ## CMF DESIGNER As a Color, Material, and Finish Designer on the Starlink team, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the look, feel, and quality of next-generation consumer electronics and hardware that connect the world. You’ll contribute to the full development and execution of innovative materials, colors, and finishes, bringing deep expertise to elevate product aesthetics, durability, and user experience while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in high-volume manufacturing. You’ll lead CMF innovation, select and implement the highest-quality materials and processes, and collaborate closely with design, engineering, and operations teams as well as external suppliers to deliver production-ready solutions. ## RESPONSIBILITIES: - Analyze, refine, and approve colors, materials, and finishes across active projects to ensure they meet the highest standards of quality and brand alignment - Curate and maintain a robust internal library of cutting-edge, inspirational materials and finishes, proactively sourcing innovative options to fuel Starlink’s design evolution - Ideate, visualize, and develop compelling CMF design proposals that push creative and technical boundaries - Craft impactful digital and physical CMF presentations that articulate a bold, forward-looking vision for the Starlink product ecosystem - Partner with cross-functional teams (design, engineering, and manufacturing) to strategize and successfully implement production-ready CMF solutions - Protect and execute design intent through precise color tuning, material mastering, and oversight across all product commodities - Guide CMF execution from early prototypes through full-scale production, ensuring seamless translation from concept to hardware - Build and nurture strong supplier and vendor relationships, continuously identifying new resources to enable groundbreaking material innovation ## BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: - Bachelor’s degree in a design discipline (i.e. industrial, transportation, product, architecture) and 1+ years professional CMF experience ## PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: - Deep technical expertise in mass production, manufacturing processes, and a wide range of materials, with proven ability to deliver high-quality CMF designs under tight deadlines - Exceptional color acuity, including the ability to pass the Munsell Hue Color Test with a perfect score - Strong proficiency in 2D and 3D visualization tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Blender, KeyShot, and similar software - Outstanding visual, verbal, and presentation skills, able to clearly communicate complex CMF concepts and influence stakeholders - Skilled at building and maintaining effective cross-functional relationships with design, engineering, manufacturing, and external partners - Highly self-motivated, adaptable, and organized, with the ability to successfully manage multiple parallel projects in a fast-paced environment ## ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: - Strong visual portfolio is mandatory for consideration - This is not a remote or hybrid position and will require relocation if not already local to the Austin, TX area - Position occasionally requires the ability to work extended hours, weekends and offsite when needed ## ITAR REQUIREMENTS: - To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR [here](https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/?id=ddtc_kb_article_page&sys_id=24d528fddbfc930044f9ff621f961987). SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com. ## About SpaceX ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft while building a global satellite broadband network and AI infrastructure to enable interplanetary life. - **Entity Type**: Public (Nasdaq: SPCX) – IPO priced at $135/share on June 12, 2026 - **Headquarters**: Starbase, Texas (primary); Hawthorne, California (historical headquarters) - **Founded**: 2002 - **Founders**: Elon Musk ## Core Business - **Industries**: Aerospace & Defense, Spaceflight, Satellite Telecommunications, Artificial Intelligence - **Target Customers**: Government (NASA, U.S. Armed Forces, international agencies), Commercial satellite operators, Broadband consumers (Starlink), Defense/intelligence (Starshield) - **Mission**: To make humanity multiplanetary by building the integrated hardware and software infrastructure of the future across space, connectivity, and AI. ## Products & Services - **Falcon 9**: Reusable two-stage rocket – the world’s most launched orbital rocket, with over 630 successful first-stage reflights. - **Falcon Heavy**: Heavy-lift launch vehicle composed of three Falcon 9 cores; capable of lifting nearly 64 metric tons to orbit. - **Starship**: Fully reusable super-heavy launch vehicle and spacecraft (largest ever built) designed for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. - **Dragon 2**: Crew and cargo spacecraft used for NASA Commercial Crew and private missions to the ISS and beyond. - **Starlink**: Low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation providing high-speed, low-latency broadband internet to over 10.3 million people globally. - **Starshield**: Military-grade satellite services for national security and defense customers. - **SpaceXAI**: Division focused on AI compute infrastructure, frontier models, and real-time data processing (including AI compute satellites). ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Conflicting reports – Internal share offer in 2025 valued SpaceX at **$800 billion**; IPO pricing (June 2026) implied a market capitalization of approximately **$75 billion** for the shares offered. - **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of **$15.0 billion** (2025); total funding raised **$15.2 billion** across 56 rounds. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Google (led $1B Series G), Intesa Sanpaolo, NASA, U.S. Space Force, and numerous institutional investors. - **Growth Signals**: Employee headcount of **11,387** (monthly growth +2.5%); **1,671 active job postings**; Falcon 9 launch cadence of 1–3 per week; Starlink subscriber base covering ~10.3 million people; recent acquisition of xAI (February 2026). ## Competitive Advantages - **Full reusability**: Only company with a fleet of reusable orbital rockets (Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy), dramatically lowering per-launch cost. - **Vertical integration**: Designs, manufactures, and operates its own rockets, spacecraft, satellite constellation, and AI platform – enabling rapid iteration and cost control. - **Scale and reliability**: More orbital launches per year than any other provider (public or private); proven track record with NASA and DoD. - **First-mover in commercial spaceflight**: Established crew transport, satellite internet, and now AI compute in orbit. ## Strategic Focus - **Starship development**: Complete testing and operational deployment of the fully reusable Starship system for lunar (Artemis) and Mars missions. - **Starlink expansion**: Grow subscriber base, launch V3 satellites, and extend mobile and direct-to-cell services. - **AI integration**: Leverage SpaceXAI for on-orbit compute and real-time data analytics; build AI compute satellites. - **Interplanetary infrastructure**: Develop technologies for sustained human presence on the Moon and Mars. ## Why Work Here - **Mission-driven culture**: Employees directly contribute to making life multiplanetary – “hard work and innovative solutions result in big gains.” - **Impactful projects**: Work on reusable rockets, crewed spacecraft, global broadband, and AI systems that are actively changing the space industry. - **Compensation**: Competitive salaries, comprehensive health benefits, and equity packages. - **Work locations**: Primary campuses in Hawthorne, CA and Starbase, TX (with additional sites in Cape Canaveral, FL and Vandenberg, CA). Roles span engineering, software, manufacturing, and support. - **Engineering culture**: Merit-based, fast-paced, with high ownership; top talent sourced from Tesla, Boeing, NASA JPL, and other aerospace leaders. - **Open roles**: Over 1,600 active positions across software, AI, avionics, propulsion, supply chain, and more – including internships. ## Sources 1. [SpaceX Careers Page](https://www.spacex.com/careers) 2. [LinkedIn – SpaceX Company Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spacex) 3. [SpaceX IPO Factsheet (PDF)](https://content.spacex.com/cms-assets/FINAL_Documents%20and%20Updates/SpaceX%20IPO_Factsheet.pdf) 4. [SpaceX IPO Pricing Press Release](https://ir.spacex.com/updates/releases-details/2026/Space-Exploration-Technologies-Corp--Announces-Pricing-of-Initial-Public-Offering/default.aspx) 5. 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