Software Engineer (Thermal & Fluid Analysis)
AI Summary
Software Engineer (Thermal & Fluid Analysis) at SpaceX designs and develops software tools to support analysis, automate workflows, and improve design processes for Starship thermal and fluid systems.
About this role
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.
SOFTWARE ENGINEER (THERMAL & FLUID ANALYSIS)
The Thermal & Fluid Analysis team supports the design and testing of Starship’s thermal and fluids systems. These include active and passive thermal control, propellant feed systems, gas systems, thermal protection, and in-space propellant management among many other subsystems. These systems must perform reliably in extreme environments from launch to recovery. In this role, you will develop software tools to support analysis, improve design processes, automate workflows, and subsequently deploy the new software/workflows to the analysis and engineering community. Your work will enable making informed decisions more quickly and thus reducing the time required to realize a self-sustaining colony on Mars.
This role requires strong software development skills and an interest in simulation, thermal design, and fluid systems. Experience with thermal & fluid system modeling technique and simulation is a major plus.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Design software and workflows that improve mission critical analysis throughput
• Build infrastructure to support thermal and fluid systems analysis
• Automate analysis workflows to speed up mission and design iteration
• Support simulation and validation with test and flight data
• Collaborate with engineers to improve reliability and performance of spacecraft systems
• Write clean, scalable code and maintain strong documentation
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related field
• 1+ years of experience coding in Python, JavaScript, and/or Rust (including internship or academic experience)
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
• Familiarity with thermal or fluid systems in spacecraft or aerospace applications
• Strong background in Python and data processing
• Experience automating engineering workflows or simulations
• Knowledge of and/or experience in MATLAB, C/C++, Git, Thermal Desktop, ANSYS Workbench, Siemens STAR-CCM+
• Understanding of thermal/fluid networks (0-D or 1-D modeling)
• Excellent communication and documentation skills
• Interest in making engineering tools easier to use and more scalable
• Familiarity with high performance computing
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
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.
Skills
Explore related jobs
More jobs at Spacex
- Global Supply Manager, Satellites (Starmind)Bastrop, TX
- Site Reliability Engineer, Kubernetes Platform (Top Secret Clearance)Hawthorne, CA
- Software Engineer (AI Data Engineering)Hawthorne, CA
- Integration & Test Engineer (Falcon & Dragon)Hawthorne, CA
- Sr. HR Business PartnerHawthorne, CA
- Sr. Environmental Health & Safety Engineer, Contractor ManagementHawthorne, CA
Browse these categories
Market data for software engineer roles
All reports →- Role reportSoftware engineer jobs, Sep 2026: new listings down 9.7%New software engineer listings fell 9.7% to 1,506 this week, the first weekly drop in a month. Prioritize applications while 1,506 fresh roles remain open.
- Salary reportSoftware engineer salary 2026: median midpoint is $190,587The median published range midpoint for US software engineer roles is $190,587, with the middle half from $166,000 to $222,000.
- Market overviewState of tech hiring, September 2026: up 4.8%Tech hiring rose 4.8% month over month in September 2026, with 411,122 new listings. Customer support and account executive roles led the growth.