Tooling Engineer, Starship Components (Materials Engineering)
SpaceX · Hawthorne, CA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $100k–$130k
- Travel
- 25%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 1+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- Today
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at SpaceX (aerospace & defense) in Hawthorne, CA. Solidworks, NX, CATIA, or ProE).
- They ask for
- 1+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, GD&T, Robotics, Automation, CNC, Welding
- Base pay
- $100k–$130k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage · about 25% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $111k–$165k. This one lists $100k–$130k.
Median of the low and high ends of 131 live postings that list pay, out of 359 manufacturing engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 358 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- About 13% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (1+ vs 5+)
Typical $110k–$153k, from 115 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Tooling 52%
- ✓ New product launch 50%
- Root cause 38%
- ✓ Automation 35%
- ✓ CATIA / NX 28%
- Machining 27%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for CNC, Python, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at SpaceX
We found 9 people at this company and state: 5 in this kind of role, 4 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Michael → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- The posting says about 25% travel. Between which sites?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: SpaceX in Hawthorne
66 other open roles at this site · 9 people we found in manufacturing roles at SpaceX.
- Field Operations Manager, Starlink · Production · Manager
- Automation & Controls Engineer (Facilities) · Controls
- Sr. Automation & Controls Engineer (Asset Engineering) · Controls · Senior
- Lead Hardware Reliability Engineer (Starshield) · Reliability · Manager
- Lead Operations Engineer · Production · Manager
- Environmental & Thermal Control Engineer (Dragon) · Controls
Full description from SpaceXAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Design and manufacture of welding fixtures for processes including, but no limited to, electron beam welding, laser beam welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and orbital tube welding.
- ◆Collaborate with design engineering to ensure tooling can work with assemblies without damaging critical features.
- ◆Create detailed models and engineering prints in NX.
- ◆Perform hand calculations and analysis to size structures and mechanisms.
- ◆Create manufacturing planning for scope performed by internal welding and toolmaking teams.
- ◆Scope equipment procurement for welding processes.
- ◆Create and evaluate asset maintenance schedules.
- ◆Support machine activation with welding engineering team and perform development testing.
Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or another engineering discipline.
- ✓1+ years of experience in one or more of the following: designing and building mechanical structures, GD&T, fabrication of mechanical assemblies, weldments, or CAD software design package (e.g. Solidworks, NX, CATIA, or ProE).
Preferred skills and experience
- ✓Demonstrated ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
- ✓CNC and/or Robot programming experience for automated welding solutions.
- ✓Tooling design experience for welded assemblies to reduce part distortion and improve part consistency.
- ✓Self-motivated engineer with keen attention to detail.
- ✓Hands-on experience in a high-production manufacturing environment.
- ✓Mechanical component and/or tooling design and analysis experience using 3D CAD software.
- ✓Experience with design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA).
- ✓Experience writing work instructions and procedures for critical components.
- ✓Expertise and engineering knowledge in tooling, automation, welding engineering, components design, and/or components manufacturing.
- ✓Experience in software development in SQL, Python or C#.
Requirements
- ✓Must be able to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
- ✓Must be able to travel for business needs – up to 25%.
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 .
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 .
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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.
Tooling engineer, starship components (materials engineering)
SpaceX continues to revolutionize the launch industry by combining advanced technological developments with pragmatic and lean manufacturing. Materials used on SpaceX vehicles are designed to withstand the extreme environments of launch, on-orbit operations, and reentry. This role will lead a team responsible for the support of advanced welding and joining processes on follow control devices and mechanisms that drive critical capabilities on Starship/Super Heavy - from regulators and butterfly valves to flap/fin actuators. We design, manufacture, and test valves, regulators, and actuators for maximum reliability in extreme environments, compatibility with various fluids, temperatures ranging from 80 to 800K, and pressures beyond 800 bar.
This position will own manufacturing and development of Tooling and Equipment for SpaceX’s Starship components welding. The person in this position will help develop, build, and certify designs to optimize tooling related to welding and inspection processes The Tooling Engineer in this role will interface daily with design, automation, welding, NDE, and test engineers to make the machine that builds the machine and enforce standardized practices and procedures on multiple welded assemblies.
Pay Range
Level 1: $100,000.00 - $130,000.00
Level 2: $115,000.00 - $160,000.00
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