Job brief: Sr. Software Engineer (Starfall)

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 (3 days ago); last confirmed on the board 2026-11-07.
• 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: $165,000 to $230,000 a year
• Job type: Not stated
• Where: Hawthorne, CA
• Posted: 2026-07-21 · over 60 days ago

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

Level: Senior. The title says "Sr".

Must have

• Aerospace experience is not required to be successful here - we want our engineers to bring fresh ideas from all areas.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, math, physics, or scientific discipline; OR 2+ years of professional experience in writing software in lieu of a …
• 5+ years of experience in software development with C++ or C languages
• Must be available to work extended hours and weekends when needed to meet critical deadlines
• Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S.
• § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S.

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 deliver high-quality software and firmware for common processors and micro-controllers
• Support launch operations
• Collaborate with peers and customers
• Bring up and validate devices that communicate-to and fly-in space
• Analyze test results and bugs which require in-depth investigations

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 California: $204k a year (903 listings, 46 employers). This listing pays about the same.
• Across SpaceX's 2,896 open listings, 59% 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.

Ask before you apply

1. Is this role still open, and when do you hope to fill it?
2. What are the interview steps, and when should I expect to hear back?

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