Sr. Software Engineer, Computer Vision

About the role

We are looking for exceptional, driven, adaptable, and resilient senior software engineers who are technical leaders and experts in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and computer vision. As a software engineer on the NDE & Materials Software team, you will accelerate the quality, speed, and efficiency of manufacturing processes at SpaceX by owning end-to-end solutions - from model development to production deployment and monitoring.

Our team is building the next generation of in-process monitoring tools for SpaceX as we develop the Starship, Raptor, and Starlink programs. We deliver high-impact solutions through advanced AI models and scalable simulation with a focus on non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and materials engineering applications. As a technical leader, you will guide the team in applying cutting-edge AI to these manufacturing challenges.

Responsibilities

• Lead computer vision model development and deployment for real-time inspection and automated defect recognition in production-scale manufacturing
• Architect and implement pipelines for scalable model training, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and retraining using industry-standard tools like Ray Train/Serve, Kubeflow, Airflow, or equivalent
• Develop software to integrate hardware, sensors, and tooling (including sensor fusion) with AI-driven process monitoring systems
• Build and optimize data pipelines from production lines, incorporating real-time stream processing and inference
• Collaborate with part/process engineers, NDE engineers, and materials scientists to link advanced models and outputs to manufacturing
• Lead design and code reviews, technology evaluations, and enforce best practices (e.g., style, CI/CD, accuracy, testability, efficiency, and standards)

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, math, physics, or related STEM discipline; OR 8+ years of professional experience building and deploying AI software/Machine Learning in lieu of a degree
• 5+ years of software development experience
• 3+ years deploying AI models to production environments
• 3+ years of software engineering experience
• 3+ years of experience leveraging Python for data analysis

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Proven track record as a technical leader in software projects involving AI/ML
• Hands-on experience deploying computer vision models for real-time manufacturing inspection and defect detection
• Strong development experience in Python and C++ (or similar), with expertise in ML frameworks like PyTorch or JAX
• Hands-on experience with computer vision libraries (e.g., OpenCV)Experience fine tuning and adapting state-of-the-art models, such as transformers and vision transformers, to production environments
• Experience fine-tuning LLMs or vision-language models and building agentic tools
• Experience deploying applications at scale with Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud/edge inference for factory automation
• Expertise in machine learning/LLM operations including model versioning, A/B testing, drift detection, and orchestration with Kubeflow, Ray, MLFlow, or similar
• Stream processing with Apache Kafka, RabbitMQ, or equivalent
• Database expertise in PostgreSQL or similar and data tools (Prometheus, Grafana, Jupyter)
• Strong linux experience
• Experience applying AI to physics or simulation domains, using physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) or surrogate modeling

Additional Requirements

• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary
• Ability to travel to other SpaceX sites as needed (up to 20%)

Pay range

Sr. Software Engineer: $160,000.00 - $225,000.00/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 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.