Security Software Engineer (Starlink)
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 4, 2026. First seen by Alion on Aug 18, 2026. SpaceX scores A on the Alion truth index.
SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
SECURITY SOFTWARE ENGINEER (STARLINK)
At SpaceX we’re leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and serves millions of users worldwide. We design, build, and operate all parts of the system - thousands of satellites and all of the space-ground infrastructure necessary for a constellation of that size.As we scale the constellation to hundreds of thousands of satellites, and become a foundation of global connectivity both on earth (and in space), we are looking for excellent engineers to help us build secure, defensible systems from the ground up.
In this role, you will influence the security of software across our space and terrestrial systems. Ideally, you have notable skills in one or more of the following:
- Applied cryptography
- Network security
- Operating system security
- Secure/Authenticated boot
- Incident response and adversary detection
- Vulnerability research
- Software engineering
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Design and build security infrastructure for Starlink, including cryptographic services and other security-critical services
- Develop security features for Starlink 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
- Further our mission of providing secure and reliable Internet to underserved communities
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- 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
- Experience with one or more software development languages (i.e. Python, C++, Golang)
- Experience designing and implementing security solutions for operating systems, distributed systems, or other enterprise/large-scale infrastructure
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Experience contributing security improvements to complex systems
- Experience working with special purpose security hardware such as Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) and Hardware Security Modules (HSMs)
- Fundamental understanding of network protocols; including the TCP/IP stack as well as UDP based protocols
- Experienced in navigating large, complex, interactive systems
- Flexibility, communicating clearly, and establishing and maintaining productive working relationships with other engineering teams
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to work both independently and in a team
- Demonstrated ability to deal with ambiguity and to learn new technologies quickly
- Advanced degree in a technical or engineering discipline
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay Range:
Level 1: $130,000.00 - $165,000.00
Level 2: $150,000.00 - $200,000.00
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 in Washington State accrue paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law. Company shuttles are offered to employees for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday.
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. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; 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/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [email protected].