Sr. Radiation Effects Engineer
SpaceX
Other Engineering
Redmond, WA, USA
USD 130k-180k / year + Equity
Posted on Feb 16, 2026
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.
SR. RADIATION EFFECTS ENGINEER
As a member of our fast-paced Radiation Effects team, you will be responsible for ensuring avionics hardware performance across our fleet of vehicles (Dragon, Falcon, Starship, Lunar Human Landing System, etc.) through some of the harshest and varied radiation environments imaginable. In order to ensure maximum reliability in an ionizing radiation environment, the Radiation team at SpaceX performs exhaustive analysis, design, and test at the component, board, unit, and subsystem levels with extensive opportunity to interact with a vast array of rocket and spacecraft hardware and electronics. As one of the few teams required to interface with the design, manufacturing, integration, and mission operations teams, we play a critical role in the development of our systems as we advance our efforts towards broadband satellite internet and safe, reliable, inexpensive, and innovative access to space. This work all supports our fundamental goal of expanding human space exploration capabilities and establishing a permanent human presence on the moon and Mars.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support a cross-discipline team of design and system engineers in providing radiation test and analysis results, advice on requirements flow down, modeling and analysis reports, and recommendations for mitigating radiation effects
- Develop component databases and applications for interfacing with radiation test data used across programs
- Work with supply chain, component reliability and radiation engineering to ensure test data collected during radiation test campaigns is available and accessible to design engineers
- Review PCN changes to ensure maintenance of radiation qualification status
- Develop testing and reporting standards for component and flight PCBA radiation tests
- Work with supply chain and component reliability teams to refine preferred components across programs
- Work with circuit design, electronics manufacturing, and software implementation to analyze and improve test coverage
- Make recommendations for design, process improvements, and data collection
- Establish requirements for component procurement specifications
- Comply with all radiation regulatory requirements for radiation safety
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
- 5+ years of professional experience in the radiation effects field
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Experience with full stack web development including python, SQL, JavaScript, html
- Experience with single event effects risk calculations
- Previous work experience in radiation effects including modeling, testing, and/or analysis
- Experience in writing scripts to control test hardware
- Proficiency with hardware blueprints/schematics and circuit functions based on designs
- Previous component engineering experience and/or component reliability experience
- Strong mathematics and statistics knowledge base
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Proficiency with avionics hardware spanning integrated circuits, PCBA boards, sensors/transducers, functional troubleshooting, and defect detection
- Radiation dose safety training
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Extended hours and weekend work may be required to support critical project and mission milestones
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Pay range:
Sr. Radiation Effects Engineer: $130,000.00 - $180,000.00/per year
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, stock options, 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. § 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 EEOCompliance@spacex.com.