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SpaceX's Development Test team is seeking a Test Engineer to support high-pressure oxygen systems for Starship and other major programs. This role focuses on designing, fabricating, and operating test hardware to ensure the safety and reliability of Starship's oxygen propulsion systems.
You will own complete test campaigns from planning through execution and analysis. Responsibilities include developing material, component, and subsystem-level tests; designing novel test capabilities to assess flammability in high-pressure oxygen environments; and collaborating with design engineers on hardware qualification. You'll provide direction to technicians on fabrication and integration, develop test procedures and automation scripts, and operate data acquisition systems (primarily National Instruments-based) and complex fluid/mechanical systems including cryogenics and hypergolic propellants.
The role demands hands-on expertise with hazardous systems, high-pressure design, instrumentation, and troubleshooting. You'll identify system pitfalls and anomalies, then work with engineers to resolve them. The team operates in a fast-paced, uncertain environment where you'll encounter diverse engineering challenges and unexpected test outcomes.
Basic requirements: Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, electrical, or related engineering field, plus 1+ years of hands-on testing experience (internships and clubs count). Preferred experience includes 2+ years with mechanical/structural/propulsion/fluid systems or flight hardware; knowledge of cryogenic, flammable, hypergolic, and pyrophoric systems; high-pressure system design; oxygen system considerations; material flammability principles; instrumentation (pressure transducers, thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, etc.); 3D CAD software (NX, Inventor, CATIA); coding (Python, Matlab, C/C++, Java, Visual Basic); root-cause analysis; and technical communication in collaborative, high-stress environments.
About SpaceX
Defense & Aerospace — designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.
