SpaceX

IT Network Engineer, Mission Systems

SpaceX • $95K — $115K *
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920In-Person
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Today
Be an Early Applicant
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or other STEM discipline and 3+ years of professional network engineering experience; OR 5+ years of professional network engineering experience in lieu of a degree.
  • Extensive hands-on experience designing, deploying, supporting, and troubleshooting Layer 2 and Layer 3 networks.
  • Functional experience with multiple network vendors either in production or lab environments.
  • Proficiency in scripting (Bash/PowerShell/Python) and automation frameworks (Terraform, Ansible, etc.).
  • Industry standard certifications such as CCNA or CCNP.

Responsibilities

  • Design and implement highly available networks for production and launch operations.
  • Design and maintain mission data center and site networks per company standards.
  • Evaluate, procure, and deploy networking hardware such as switches and firewalls.
  • Contribute to network automation tooling and scalability.
  • Coordinate network maintenance downtime with stakeholders.
  • Troubleshoot network issues and publish root cause analysis documentation.
  • Provide direct networking support during launch campaigns.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on innovative projects in aerospace and defense.
  • Collaborative and high-stakes environment that enhances learning and professional growth.
  • Chance to engage with cutting-edge technologies and methodologies in a mission-critical setting.
Full Job Description
IT NETWORK ENGINEER, MISSION SYSTEMS

SpaceX is looking for an exceptional network engineer with experience in mission-critical and large-scale production environments to support high-cadence launch operations as well as high-reliability production networks. As a member of the Mission Systems / IT Launch engineering team, you will provide operational and design services for networks used by launch/production operations, automation & controls engineering, and facilities teams. The ideal candidate thrives in intense, high flux environments, brings a strong sense of urgency balanced with operational excellence, communicates effectively, and demonstrates high levels of technical acumen.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Design and implement highly available networks, carefully balancing various routing and redundancy technologies depending on unique requirements between production and launch.
  • Design and maintain mission data center and site networks in accordance with company network standards. Collaborating with adjacent infrastructure and enterprise teams.
  • Evaluate, procure, and deploy network hardware including switches, firewalls, multiplexing and SDWAN appliances.
  • Contribute to ever-maturing network automation tooling; implementing configuration analysis, linting, and scalability into the deployment framework.
  • Plan and coordinate network outage windows with stakeholders to perform software updates, hardware refreshes, and general network maintenance (sometimes on weekends and evenings).
  • Troubleshoot and resolve network-related issues, publishing root cause analysis (RCA) documentation and hosting retrospective data reviews.
  • Provide direct networking support during launch and test campaigns and be on-call or provide real-time support as networking responsible engineer during operations.
  • Proactively tailors network monitoring to provide ever more valuable operational telemetry with emphasis on issue detection prior to operational impact.
  • Continuously create and update network documentation, including architecture overviews, design drawings, and operational procedures.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to proactively identify and resolve potential technical issues with network designs, especially in regards to systemic, cascading failure modes, and superficial redundancy.
  • Perform job walks with customers, vendors, and contractors to gather network requirements and create implementation plans.
  • Ensure networks are configured and maintained in compliance with industry and cybersecurity standards (e.g., ITAR, ISO, NIST), with particular attention to controls network segmentation and security.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or other STEM discipline and 3+ years of professional network engineering experience; OR 5+ years of professional network engineering experience in lieu of a degree.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
  • Extensive hands-on experience designing, deploying, supporting, and troubleshooting Layer 2 and Layer 3 networks in latency sensitive and/or industrial environments.
  • Functional experience with multiple network vendors either in production or lab environments.
  • Experience with GitOps and Infrastructure as Code frameworks, both as user and contributor.
  • Strong understanding of the OSI model and network standards.
  • Hands-on experience with Cisco, Arista, and Juniper data center class switches.
  • Experience with Wave Division Multiplexing (WDM) and fiber optics infrastructure.
  • Extensive knowledge of common enterprise and media protocols.
  • Experience with switch port security features, network segmentation, QoS, multicast, and redundancy protocols.
  • Familiarity with network monitoring tools and layer 1 testing tools.
  • Proficiency in scripting (Bash/PowerShell/Python) and automation frameworks (Terraform, Ansible, etc.).
  • Linux and Windows system administration experience professionally or from labs.
  • Industry standard certifications such as CCNA or CCNP.
  • Experience supporting real-time systems, industrial control networks, or operational technology (OT) environments in aerospace, defense, energy, oil & gas, or similar high-reliability industries.
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate with internal/external customers, vendors, and management in both formal and informal situations.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
  • Ability to pass DoD background check for launch site access.
  • Ability to work in tight quarters; physical dexterity is necessary to perform job functions.
  • Availability for extended hours and/or weekends as the schedule varies depending on site operational needs; flexibility is required.
  • Ability to provide 24x7 on-call support in emergency situations and participate in an after-hours on-call rotation.
  • Willingness to travel (up to 20%, including flying to other sites worldwide) and potential time at sea supporting marine systems.
  • Ability to lift 30 lbs.
  • Ability to work at heights.
  • Ability to drive (active valid driver's license).


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. a7 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. a7 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

About SpaceX

SpaceX is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk. The company designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX has developed the Falcon 1, Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Dragon spacecraft. The company was founded with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX has achieved several milestones in spaceflight, including the first privately-funded liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit, the first privately-funded company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, and the first privately-funded company to send a human-rated spacecraft to orbit.
Learn more about SpaceX
Size
8,000 employees
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Founded
2002
* Ladders Estimates

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