Loads and Dynamics Engineer
US$100,000 – US$160,000 / yr base salary
Posted 11 Aug 2026
Advertised as “Loads & Dynamics Engineer (Starfall) ”
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Expected experience
- 1+ yrs
- Management level
- Individual contributor
| Base salary | US$100,000 – US$160,000 / yr |
|---|
Field of studyAerospace, Engineering, Physics
Study levelBachelor's
Field of studyEngineering
Study levelMaster's
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.
LOADS & DYNAMICS ENGINEER (STARFALL)
The Starfall team is developing the world’s first high-capacity, high-cadence, and low-cost re-entry space capsule. The Starfall capsule will unlock rapid global mobility by enabling point-point cargo delivery anywhere on Earth in under an hour. Additionally, the Starfall capsule could facilitate numerous other capabilities such as in-space manufacturing and on-orbit research.
In this role, you will work closely with Starfall responsible engineers as well as the Falcon dynamics team to drive hardware and mission design decisions. This role will involve simulation of dynamic events, contributing to in-house computer programs, and hands-on testing. You will be responsible for all low and high frequency loads and vibration for the capsule during ground transportation, launch/ascent, on-orbit operations, and re-entry. Strong candidates for this role will have excellent hardware intuition as well as experience with frequency-domain signal processing and analysis.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Build finite element models and run coupled loads analysis
- Perform other analyses as required such as spacecraft separation and fatigue analysis
- Execute dynamic testing from start-to-finish including pre-test analysis, sensor selection & installation, testing, and correlation
- Full ownership of dynamic event analysis by developing in-house computer programs and correlating with flight data
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace, physics, or an engineering discipline
- 1+ years of experience with CAD and FEA software
- 1+ years of experience with dynamic analysis
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master’s degree in an engineering discipline
- Demonstrated ability to develop/analyze hardware within an integrated engineering team outside of a classroom setting
- Experience with a commercial FEA or Multiphysics simulation package (NASTRAN, FEMAP, LS-DYNA)
- Analytical/scientific programming experience (Python, Matlab)
- Highly proficient in classical mechanics, deformable bodies, and statistics/probability
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: