Kubernetes Platform Site Reliability Engineer (Starlink)

Overview

Kubernetes Platform Site Reliability Engineer (Starlink) – Redmond, WA

SpaceX is building Starlink, the world’s largest satellite constellation, to provide fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system, including thousands of satellites, consumer receivers, and the software that connects them. We are looking for engineers to help maximize Starlink’s utility for communities and businesses globally.

As an engineer focused on Starlink’s software and network infrastructure, you will design, operate, and scale the infrastructure used to run the world’s largest satellite constellation and manage a network serving millions of daily users. This role covers Site Reliability Engineering, Developer Operations, and our internal Kubernetes platforms. You will develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise compute resources, create scalable and maintainable software products, and collaborate with engineering teams across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Develop automation to deploy and manage on-premise Kubernetes clusters
• Deploy and manage core infrastructure such as databases, monitoring, and distributed storage
• Collaborate with software engineers to create scalable, operable, and maintainable products
• Engage in and improve the full lifecycle of services—from inception and design, through deployment, operation, and refinement
• Monitoring and alerting supporting systems to ensure high availability
• Hands-on integration and troubleshooting across the Starlink stack
• Identify areas for improvement and create innovative solutions that enable high system availability

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems/IT, or an engineering discipline and 1+ years of professional experience in Site Reliability Engineering or DevOps; OR 3+ years of professional experience in Site Reliability Engineering or DevOps in lieu of a degree
• 1+ years of professional experience with Linux operating systems
• Experience with Terraform, Ansible, or other infrastructure tools
• Experience with containerization technologies (i.e., OCI containers, Kubernetes)
• Experience scripting in Bash, Python, or other similar languages
• Development experience in Python, C++, or Go

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 1+ years of experience with Python and Python-based development frameworks
• Experience managing Kubernetes clusters, not just using them
• Knowledge of Linux boot process and systems configuration
• Deep understanding of testing, continuous integration, build, deployment, and continuous monitoring
• Understanding of build technologies such as Bazel and Makefiles
• Focus on performance bottlenecks and performance improvement techniques
• Understanding of distributed databases and data modeling
• Experience with automatically managing dozens, hundreds, or thousands of servers (e.g., Terraform or Ansible)
• Strong networking knowledge of TCP/IP
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage with customers, peers, and management in formal and informal contexts

Additional Requirements

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed

Compensation and Benefits

Pay range varies by level and experience. Software Engineer/Level I: $122,500 - $145,000 per year; Software Engineer/Level II: $140,000 - $170,000 per year. The final base salary is determined on a case-by-case basis based on knowledge, education, and experience. Base salary is part of a total rewards package that may include stock, bonuses, and other incentives, as well as comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, a 401(k) plan, disability and life insurance, paid parental leave, and other benefits. Eligible employees may accrue three weeks of paid vacation and ten or more paid holidays per year. Exempt employees receive five sick days per year. SpaceX provides company shuttles to select Seattle locations for the Redmond office, Monday through Friday.

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR; the ITAR disclaimer applies to this role.

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment is based on merit, competence, and qualifications and is not influenced by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation in the application or interview process should contact

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