Sr. Software Engineer, Computer Vision
SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP, Hawthorne, CA, United States
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.
SR. SOFTWARE ENGINEER, COMPUTER VISION
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) and fine‑tuning state‑of‑the‑art models such as transformers and vision transformers for 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)
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%)
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
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, 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 three weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for ten 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.
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (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.
Equal Opportunity Employer
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.
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SR. SOFTWARE ENGINEER, COMPUTER VISION
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) and fine‑tuning state‑of‑the‑art models such as transformers and vision transformers for 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)
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%)
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
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, 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 three weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for ten 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.
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (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.
Equal Opportunity Employer
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.
#J-18808-Ljbffr