SpaceX

Sr. IT Systems Administrator, Mission Systems

SpaceX • $95K — $150K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • High school diploma or equivalency certificate.
  • 5+ years of experience in IT systems administration.
  • Experience with Linux and Windows server administration.
  • Experience designing, deploying, supporting and troubleshooting enterprise networks.

Responsibilities

  • Design, deploy and augment IT infrastructure for mission-critical networks.
  • Provide direct IT support during launch and test campaigns.
  • Perform periodic systems upgrades and maintenance in off-hours when necessary.
  • Proactively monitor IT services and respond to incidents to ensure optimal performance.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and resolve technical issues.
  • Author and maintain documentation for IT systems, including operational procedures.
  • Leverage automation tools to contribute to infrastructure-as-code initiatives.

Benefits

  • Access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution.
  • Short and long-term disability insurance.
  • Life insurance coverage.
  • Paid parental leave.
  • Accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and 10 or more paid holidays annually.
  • Eligibility for long-term incentives and stock options.
Full Job Description
SR. IT SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR, MISSION SYSTEMS

SpaceX is looking for a highly skilled and versatile Launch Sr. IT Systems Administrator to support the networking, compute, and application support needs of our launch environment. This role is critical to enabling safe, reliable, and high-cadence launch operations across multiple sites. The ideal candidate thrives in mission-critical settings, brings a strong sense of urgency balanced with operational excellence, and is comfortable operating as a technical generalist across multiple IT disciplines. RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Design, deploy and augment IT infrastructure including networking, server, and desktop hardware that directly supports mission-critical networks across the country.
  • Provide direct IT support during launch and test campaigns.
  • Perform periodic systems upgrades and maintenance in between critical operations, sometimes on weekends and evenings.
  • Proactively monitor IT services and respond rapidly to incidents to ensure high availability and optimal systems performance.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to proactively identify and resolve potential technical issues with systems deployments.
  • Author and maintain documentation for IT systems, including systems overview, design drawings and operational procedures.
  • Leverage automation tools and contribute to broader IT systems engineering and infrastructure-as-code initiatives.
  • Ensure that systems are configured and maintained in compliance with industry and cybersecurity standards (e.g. ITAR, ISO, NIST).

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
  • High school diploma or equivalency certificate.
  • 5+ years of experience in IT systems administration.
  • Experience with both Linux and Windows server administration.
  • Experience designing, deploying, supporting and troubleshooting enterprise networks.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
  • Working knowledge of network protocols (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, SNMP, NTP, PTP etc.), firewall administration and cybersecurity technologies.
  • Proficiency in scripting (Bash/Powershell/Python) and automation frameworks (Terraform, Ansible, Puppet).
  • Familiarity with Active Directory and multi-platform authentication/identity environments.
  • Experience with virtualization platforms and tools.
  • Understanding of Layer 1 configuration best practices and multiplexing technologies.
  • Working knowledge of Windows-based systems and services, including the ability to set up, configure, upgrade, manage, and troubleshoot said infrastructure.
  • Ability to administer and troubleshoot Linux-based systems and services through command line.
  • Experience supporting real-time systems, industrial control networks, or operational technology (OT) environments in aerospace, defense, energy, or similar high-reliability industries.
  • Experience with configuration management, provisioning, infrastructure as code, CI/CD pipelines and other DevOps concepts/tools.
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate with internal/external customers, vendors, management etc. in both formal and informal situations.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
  • Ability to pass DoD background check for launch site access.
  • Willingness to participate in an after-hours on-call rotation and work extended hours or weekends as necessary.
  • 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).

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
Level 1: $95,000.00 - $120,000.00
Level 2: $115,000.00 - $150,000.00

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. 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
Founded
2002

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