Contract Graduate Software Engineer Jobs in Salem, OR

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.

FALL 2026 GRADUATE ENGINEER

As a Graduate Engineer, you will be responsible for working on creative solutions to real aerospace challenges. You will be given as much responsibility as our full-time engineers and will be an integral part of the team. If you've demonstrated a commitment to academic success and motivation to apply your knowledge outside of the classroom, you are a great candidate!

Graduate Engineer roles are available with a variety of engineering teams across the company including design, manufacturing and operations at Bastrop, TX; Cape Canaveral, FL; Hawthorne (Los Angeles), CA; Irvine, CA; McGregor (Waco), TX; Redmond, WA; Starbase, TX and Vandenberg, CA.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• 6+ months of applied engineering experience (internship, laboratory, and personal/team project experience is applicable)
• Enrolled in a graduate program by the start of employment and holds a bachelor's degree in engineering, physics or math discipline
• Applicant for this graduate engineer position must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (e.g., green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• GPA of 3.5 or above
• 9+ months experience of application of technical skills outside of the classroom (examples: laboratory, research, extracurricular project teams, volunteering, personal projects or prior internship/work experience)
• Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, other engineers, and managers
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic professional setting with changing needs and requirements

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Able to work full time, onsite for a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks beginning in August or September 2026
• Able to provide own transportation for positions at Bastrop, Cape Canaveral, McGregor and Vandenberg locations

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:

Graduate Engineer/Completed Bachelor's: $83,200.00/per year Graduate Engineer/Completed Master's: $91,000.00/per year Graduate Engineer/Completed PhD: $100,100.00/per year

Your salary will be determined by academic level. Pay is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for a stipend to subsidize relocation costs, as well as access to our comprehensive medical coverage and a 401(k) retirement plan. Students joining SpaceX through our graduate engineer program will receive the opportunity to attend presentations from company leaders, social and networking events, as well as professional and personal development trainings. Graduate Engineers are also eligible for paid company holidays. SpaceX offers 10 or more paid holidays per year.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS:

DRAGON: Dragon is the most advanced human-rated spacecraft in the world. This capsule currently delivers critical science, cargo and crew safely to and from International Space Station, but further iterations and new designs will likely be necessary to extend humankind's reach to the moon, Mars, and beyond. This program includes roles in: Analysis, Avionics, Build Engineering, Integration & Test Engineering, Life Support Systems, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Propulsion Engineering, Structures Design & Engineering, Supply Chain Engineering and more.

FALCON: The Falcon program tackles space exploration's toughest problems through the ongoing development of our reusable launch vehicles, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. These vehicles are currently responsible for delivering commercial, national security, and NASA satellites into orbit, as well as supply critical science, supplies, and crew to the International Space Station. This program includes roles in: Analysis, Avionics, Build Engineering, Components Engineering, Integration & Test Engineering, Launch Site Operations & Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Propulsion Engineering, Recovery Engineering, Structures Design & Engineering, Supply Chain Engineering and more.

STARLINK: At SpaceX, we're leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world's most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world's largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to 1M+ users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system - thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together. This program includes roles in: Analysis, Avionics, Components Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Integration & Test Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Operations Engineering, Structures Design & Engineering, Supply Chain Engineering and more.

STARSHIELD - Starshield leverages SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. As an intern on the Starshield team, you will be working on advanced development programs in support of U.S. National Security. This program includes roles in: Avionics, Build Engineering, Components Engineering, Integration & Test Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Design & Engineering, Structures Engineering, and more.

STARSHIP: The Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket - collectively referred to as Starship - represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. As the most powerful launch system ever developed, Starship will be able to carry up to 100 people on long-duration, interplanetary flights. Starship will also enable satellite delivery, the development of a Moon base and point-to-point transport here on Earth. This program includes roles in: Analysis, Avionics, Automation & Controls, Build Engineering, Civil Engineering, Components Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Launch Site Operations & Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Propulsion Engineering, Structures Design & Engineering, Supply Chain Engineering, Test Engineering and more.

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.