SpaceX · 20 hours ago
PCB Designer (Starship)
Hawthorne, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$100K/yr - $120K/yr
3+ years expSpaceX is actively developing technologies to enable human life on Mars, and they are seeking a PCB Designer for their Starship team. In this role, you will create layouts for in-house board designs and collaborate with engineers to ensure optimal design solutions.
AerospaceManufacturingSpace Travel
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Determine layer stack-up, perform component package selection, component placement, routing feasibility studies, and signal routing of digital, analog, RF, and power conversion of printed circuit boards (PCB)
Perform multilayer PCB layout (20+ layers), including component placement, high-speed routing (differential pairs, length matching), controlled impedance, and power/ground plane design
Conduct pre- and post-layout SI/PI simulations to mitigate crosstalk, reflections, and EMI/EMC issues
Perform DRC/ERC checks, peer reviews, and design audits; collaborate with hardware/firmware engineers for functional validation and prototype bring-up support
Produce fabrication deliverables (Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, drill files, stack-up drawings, assembly files)
Analyze designs for manufacturability; incorporate production feedback from fabrication houses and assembly partners to reduce costs and improve yield
Collaborate with internal teams and PCB vendors to continually improve design rules, constraints and design for test and manufacture guidelines
Customize and verify symbols, footprints, and 3D models; interface with PCB librarians for new parts and resolve library discrepancies
Work with mechanical, thermal, RF, and test engineers on stack-up planning, thermal vias, shielding, and enclosure integration; participate in design reviews and risk assessments
Assist our librarians in creating, updating, and maintaining accurate PCB component libraries including symbols, footprints, 3D STEP models, and parametric data in CAD tools like Altium and Xpedition
Drive the future roadmap for SpaceX to incorporate custom AI tools to radically improve the efficiency of PCB design tasks
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering OR 3+ years of professional experience with PCB layout in lieu of a degree (internships and club/project work applies)
Determine layer stack-up, perform component package selection, component placement, routing feasibility studies, and signal routing of digital, analog, RF, and power conversion of printed circuit boards (PCB)
Perform multilayer PCB layout (20+ layers), including component placement, high-speed routing (differential pairs, length matching), controlled impedance, and power/ground plane design
Conduct pre- and post-layout SI/PI simulations to mitigate crosstalk, reflections, and EMI/EMC issues
Perform DRC/ERC checks, peer reviews, and design audits; collaborate with hardware/firmware engineers for functional validation and prototype bring-up support
Produce fabrication deliverables (Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, drill files, stack-up drawings, assembly files)
Analyze designs for manufacturability; incorporate production feedback from fabrication houses and assembly partners to reduce costs and improve yield
Collaborate with internal teams and PCB vendors to continually improve design rules, constraints and design for test and manufacture guidelines
Customize and verify symbols, footprints, and 3D models; interface with PCB librarians for new parts and resolve library discrepancies
Work with mechanical, thermal, RF, and test engineers on stack-up planning, thermal vias, shielding, and enclosure integration; participate in design reviews and risk assessments
Assist our librarians in creating, updating, and maintaining accurate PCB component libraries including symbols, footprints, 3D STEP models, and parametric data in CAD tools like Altium and Xpedition
Drive the future roadmap for SpaceX to incorporate custom AI tools to radically improve the efficiency of PCB design tasks
Extended hours and weekend work may be required to support critical project and mission milestones
Preferred
2+ years of experience with PCB layout and routing in one or all of the following areas: modern passive and active electronics components, surface-mount, RF components, ball-grid array and similar fine pitch, or high pin density components
1+ years of experience with ECAD libraries and library configuration management
Demonstrated understanding of design for manufacturability, assembly, and test
Experience with Mentor Xpedition and/or Altium Designer (Mentor Xpedition preferred)
Experience with layout of mixed analog and digital designs, high speed buses, FPGA, DRAM and CPU designs, power supplies, DC-DC converters, transmission lines, impedance-controlled traces and power traces
Proficiency in generating fabrication outputs (Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, drill files), DFM/DFA analysis, constraint-driven design, and collaboration with libraries (symbols, footprints, 3D models)
Ability to visualize component placement and interconnectivity
Proficiency in Python, Altium/Mentor Xpedition scripting, or similar for automating library tasks, data extraction, and validation
Demonstrated cross functional project management skills and ability to collaborate with other engineering disciplines
Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Benefits
Long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards
Potential discretionary bonuses
Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
401(k) retirement plan
Short and long-term disability insurance
Life insurance
Paid parental leave
Various other discounts and perks
3 weeks of paid vacation
10 or more paid holidays per year
Paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy
Company
SpaceX
SpaceX is an aviation and aerospace company that designs, manufactures, and launches rockets and spacecraft.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$11.78BKey Investors
Korea Investment PartnersIntesa SanpaoloAndreessen Horowitz
2025-12-12Secondary Market
2025-09-10Secondary Market
2025-08-13Secondary Market· $10M
Leadership Team
Elon Musk
Founder, CEO & CTO
Bret Johnsen
CFO
Recent News
PCMag.com - Technology Product Reviews, News, Prices & Tips
2026-02-06
2026-02-06
Company data provided by crunchbase