Photonics Engineer - Fiber Amplifiers, Satellites (Starlink)

Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and the leading global satellite internet provider. The laser communications team develops the high-power optical links that interconnect Starlink satellites enabling a high-throughput, low-latency global network. This role focuses on the fiber amplifier systems that are central to those links: high-performance, high-reliability amplifiers that must operate in the extreme thermal, radiation, and vacuum environment of space.

• →Bachelor’s degree in physics, optics, electrical engineering, or other engineering/STEM discipline
• →2+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience in fiber-based optical systems/networks, integrated photonics chips, or fiber laser technology (university lab, student project, or internship experience qualifies)
• →1+ years of experience in a computer programming language (e.g. C++, MATLAB, and/or Python)

• Master's degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in engineering capacity in the field of fiber amplifiers, laser systems, or opto-electronics.
• Hands-on experience in fiber amplifier design, integration, and test
• Experience with high-power fiber system design, mitigation of non-linearities, and thermal management
• Hands-on experience with optical pump lasers, fiber combiners, filters, and large-mode-area (LMA) fiber, electro-optic modulators.
• Competence with fiber optics processing and handling (cleaving, stripping, splicing, recoating, glass processing, etc.)
• Experience with characterizing fiber laser systems using optical test equipment (power meters, spectral analyzers, high-speed photodiodes, oscilloscopes, laser sources, beam profilers)
• Knowledge of and experience in precision metrology techniques, manufacturing and integration processes
• Experience leading the development of commercial photonics products
• Experience with hardware development for high-reliability applications
• Competence with Python scripting and a Linux operating system environment
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere
• Ability to assess risk and make design and development decisions without all available data
• Experience with laser safety best practices
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• 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.