---
title: 'Propulsion Engineer (Merlin Hardware Development) at SpaceX'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/propulsion-engineer-merlin-hardware-development-spacex-hawthorne-4fppravv12zj'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Propulsion Engineer (Merlin Hardware Development) at SpaceX

- **Company:** SpaceX
- **Location:** Hawthorne, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-07-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/spacex/jobs/8632389002?gh_jid=8632389002

## 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.

## PROPULSION ENGINEER (MERLIN HARDWARE DEVELOPMENT)

As a Merlin Propulsion Engineer, you will own engine hardware and software from first build through acceptance test, flight, and re-flight. You will drive design, process, and operational changes that improve Merlin reliability, producibility, and performance—and help Falcon scale production and flight rate without sacrificing the flight heritage that made it the world’s most reliable launch vehicle. On any given week you might be hands-on with the engine, in a design or test review, briefing a customer, or closing an anomaly investigation before the next launch.

## RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Serve as the Responsible Engineer for a Merlin engine component or system, where you will be the primary technical point of contact for your hardware through the complete life cycle
- Lead Merlin development and qualification test campaigns for hardware improvements or root cause investigations
- Design, analyze, produce, and operate Merlin propulsion hardware and systems across development and flight operations
- Partner with engineers and technicians across production, test, launch, avionics, GNC (guidance, navigation & control), software, mission management, and flight reliability to deliver flight-ready engines
- Resolve day-to-day production, test, and launch issues by getting hands-on with the hardware
- Brief commercial and government customers on hardware changes and issues as a technical authority for mission success
- Make sound, risk-informed decisions under time pressure, including during test and launch campaigns
- Implement and maintain hardware and software verification and validation using automation and process controls that scale with flight rate
- Develop and improve engine maintenance procedures with the launch site and test teams to improve hardware readiness and reduce turnaround time
- Lead anomaly investigations related to your hardware, drive rapid resolution, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence
- Build tools, especially while leveraging AI, to automate analysis, reduce repetitive work, and speed up engineering decisions
- Run multiple concurrent projects, prioritizing against program milestones and business needs while maintaining excellent attention to detail

## BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or physics
- 1+ years of academic or professional hands-on experience performing fabrication, assembly, and/or testing
- 1+ years of academic or professional experience using CAD to design parts/assemblies

## PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

- Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or aeronautical/astronautical engineering
- 1+ years of academic or professional experience related to combustion devices or rocket engine development
- Strong foundation in fluid mechanics (compressible and incompressible), thermodynamics, combustion, structures/fracture mechanics, and materials—and the judgment to apply them to real hardware decisions.
- Experience with manufacturing processes such as CNC mill/lathe, welding, castings, additive, etc. and proficient with the fundamentals of Design for Manufacturing/Assembly (DFMA)
- Experience across the full engineering lifecycle—from design trade and CAD through manufacturing, test, qualification, production, and flight/operations.
- Experience performing risk assessments or supporting timely closure of root-cause investigations
- Analytical/scientific programming experience (Python, Matlab, etc.)
- Experience using Siemens NX (Unigraphics) and ANSYS preferred, Fluent or other comparable CFD package also desirable
- Comfortable briefing senior leadership and external customers on technical risk and hardware status
- Ability to work well in a collaborative team environment including daily interactions with technicians, engineers, and managers
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with both internal and external customers

## ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

- Ability to travel in support of testing, launching, and maintenance of engine hardware (up to 10%)
- Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg
- Willingness to work extended hours and weekends when production, test, or launch timelines require it

## COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range: Level 1: $100,000.00 - $117,500.00 Level 2: $115,000.00 - $140,000.00

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

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:

- 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. [SpaceX Jobs Board (Greenhouse)](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/spacex)

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