Job brief: Security Software Engineer (Starshield)

What JoRoute checked · Checked by JoRoute

• Listed on SpaceX's own job board. JoRoute does not take listings from job ads or recruiters.
• First seen by JoRoute 2026-11-04 (2 days ago); last confirmed on the board 2026-11-06.
• The apply link opens boards.greenhouse.io, the address SpaceX's board gives for this job.
• No other listing with this title and place on this board in the last 90 days.
• No layoff notices (WARN) under this name in the state files JoRoute reads.

What the listing says · Employer's own words, not checked

• Pay: $130,000 to $195,000 a year
• Job type: Not stated
• Where: Hawthorne, CA · Washington, DC
• Posted: 2026-09-10

What the job asks · Employer's own words, not checked

Level: Mid level. The posting asks for 2+ years of experience.

Must have

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or another STEM discipline; OR 2+ years of professional experience in security software development in lieu of a degree
• Advanced degree in a technical or engineering discipline
• Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance
• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
• This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment.
• While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, we encourage you to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting this offer.

Conditions

• You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year.
• 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/…

Main duties

• Design and build security infrastructure for Starshield, including cryptographic services and other security-critical services
• Develop security features for Starshield systems, including our router, dish, gateways, and satellites
• Design security into factory processes and provide network services in support of this
• Maintain existing production systems and improve security posture via both direct implementation and recommendations to other teams
• Build prototypes and help identify, design, and test security improvements

Lines copied from the posting, not rewritten. "Preferred" or "nice to have" items are not listed as must-haves.

How it compares · Compared by JoRoute from listings

• Typical listed pay for software engineer jobs in Washington, DC: $173k a year (87 listings, 14 employers). This listing is 6% lower.
• Across SpaceX's 2,895 open listings, 60% of those with a posting date were first posted more than 60 days ago. How SpaceX hires

What nobody outside the employer knows · Not known

• Whether the role is already filled or on hold: employers often leave listings up.
• How many people applied, and who reads the applications.
• Where in the published range an offer would land.

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