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Site Reliability Engineer (Top Secret Clearance)

Hawthorne, CA
Full Time On-site

As a member of the Classified IT Systems Engineering team, the Site Reliability Engineer is involved in designing scalable systems capable of supporting a growing volume of data products being generated in mass. We build tools that enable us to work more efficiently, and that help us build software systems that are secure, reliable, and autonomous. Our engineers are responsible for the life cycle of the systems they create, including development, testing, and operational support.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Develop automation to deploy and manage compute resources both on-premises and in the cloud
  • Build, maintain, and scale on-premises hardware systems designed to host GPU-accelerated machine learning workloads
  • Deploy and manage core infrastructure such as databases, monitoring and storage
  • Closely collaborate with software engineers to create highly scalable, operable and maintainable products
  • Engage in and improve the whole lifecycle of services -- from inception and design, through deployment, operation and refinement

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems/IT, or an engineering discipline; OR 2+ years of professional experience in software, DevOps, or site reliability engineering in lieu of a degree
  • 1+ year of experience with Kubernetes
  • 1+ year of experience with Linux operating systems
  • Experience in Bash, Python, and/or other scripting languages
  • Experience building, maintaining, and scaling on-premises and/or cloud systems designed

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance is highly desired
  • Experience hosting and pushing the state of the art in inferential model benchmarks
  • Experience with systems administration, site reliability engineering, or DevOps engineering
  • Experience with Python and Python-based development frameworks
  • Experience with virtualization and hypervisor technologies
  • Experience with automatically managing dozens or hundreds of servers
  • Knowledge of performance bottlenecks and performance improvement techniques
  • Excellent communications skills with the ability to communicate with customers, peers, management etc. in both formal and informal situations
  • Ability to quickly learn new tools and frameworks.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • An active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions; if so, you will be subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing
  • Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
Level 3: $145,000.00 - $175,000.00

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 accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

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. Section 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. Section 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.

About SpaceX

SpaceX

SpaceX is one of the most influential aerospace companies in the world, transforming space launch, satellite communications, and deep-space transportation. Founded by Elon Musk, SpaceX designs and manufactures advanced rockets and spacecraft, including Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship, alongside the Dragon spacecraft and the Starlink satellite internet constellation. The company plays a major role in U.S. space access, national security launch capabilities, and commercial space infrastructure.

For job seekers, SpaceX offers opportunities across some of the most demanding engineering disciplines in the industry, including aerospace engineering, propulsion, software development, avionics, manufacturing, robotics, materials science, and mission operations. The company is especially attractive to engineers, technicians, and builders who want to work in a high-intensity environment focused on rapid iteration, vertical integration, and hands-on hardware development at scale.

Unlike traditional aerospace contractors that rely heavily on long development cycles, SpaceX operates with a fast-paced, vertically integrated engineering culture where teams design, build, test, and fly systems in rapid succession. Employees often work directly on flight hardware and production systems, contributing to programs that routinely push the boundaries of reusability, launch frequency, and cost reduction in space access.

As global demand for satellite communications, space infrastructure, and national security launch services continues to grow, SpaceX remains one of the most important employers in aerospace and defense-adjacent technology. For professionals seeking a highly challenging, mission-driven career at the cutting edge of spaceflight and advanced engineering, SpaceX stands out as one of the most ambitious and impactful companies in the world.

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