SpaceX
Aerospace
PrincipalSoftwareEngineer(PlatformTeam)
Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Principal candidates.
“Principal Software Engineer (Platform Team) at SpaceX. Skills: AI platform architecture, Security infrastructure, Scalable gateways and proxy systems, Onboarding frontier models, Compute scaling, Proxy efficiency optimization, Risk-mitigation tools, Technical vision setting. Build foundational tooling and security infrastructure for AI. Create secure, scalable gateways and proxy systems”
What You'll Achieve.
Enable human life on Mars; Write code faster; Perform advanced data analysis; Connect AI to daily tools and problems; Turn ideas into deployed solutions with confidence; Unlock reliable, high-impact AI capabilities across the organization; Make trustworthy AI a core capability for every team at SpaceX; Successful company-wide rollout of initiatives; Establish standards, mentor senior engineers, build reusable assets, and drive cultural change; Deliver transformative solutions
Industry & Context.
Turn ideas into deployed solutions with confidence; Convert engineering know-how into tested software, automation, and reliable data stores; Solve problems with AI
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), Refugee, or Asylee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State (ITAR requirements)
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or other engineering discipline and 7+ years of professional experience building and scaling production OR 9+ years of professional experience building and scaling production platforms in lieu of a degree, Experience designing and operating large-scale AI/ML platforms, internal developer platforms, or mission-critical infrastructure
Nice to Have
Demonstrated success architecting and scaling AI gateways, secure proxy layers, or enterprise MLOps platforms that serve hundreds of users, Expert-level experience with Docker/Kubernetes ecosystems, zero-trust security models, and multi-cloud/frontier-model integrations, Deep expertise in MLOps, distributed compute, model lifecycle management, and building highly observable, reliable systems, History of enabling organization-wide impact through technical leadership, mentoring, and creation of shared platforms and standards, Entrepreneurial leadership with a proven ability to spot and deliver transformative solutions, Mastery of Python and broad expertise across modern languages and tooling, Extensive experience with infrastructure-as-code, advanced observability, and building platforms that others love to use, Deep passion for responsible AI, developer velocity, and converting deep engineering knowledge into reliable automation at planetary scale
What You'll Do.
Build foundational tooling and security infrastructure for AI
scalable gateways and proxy systems
Onboard new frontier models
Expand compute capacity
Optimize proxy efficiency
Set technical vision for AI platform
Architect platforms for massive scale
Pioneer risk-mitigation tools
Accelerate production and development through trustworthy AI
Define and drive long-term technical vision and architecture for AI platform and security infrastructure
Lead high-impact initiatives with full ownership
Oversee onboarding of frontier models
and proxy optimization
Lead adoption efforts at scale
Proactively identify and execute on high-leverage opportunities
Invent and scale advanced risk-mitigation capabilities
Establish best practices and technical direction for applied AI
Serve as a key technical advisor and collaborator
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
Empower every team at SpaceX to harness AI effectively; Collaborate with leadership and cross-functional teams
Process & Methodology
Full ownership over strategy, design, implementation, and company-wide rollout
Full Job Description
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. PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER (PLATFORM TEAM) The Platform Team builds the foundational tooling and security infrastructure that empowers every team at SpaceX to harness AI effectively. This team creates secure, scalable gateways and proxy systems that allow engineers and operators across the company to write code faster, perform advanced data analysis, connect AI to their daily tools and problems, and turn ideas into deployed solutions with confidence. By onboarding new frontier models, expanding compute capacity, optimizing proxy efficiency for logging and control, and building shared prompts, skills, and infrastructure, this team unlocks reliable, high-impact AI capabilities across the entire organization. As a Principal Software Engineer for SpaceX's AI platform, you will set the technical vision and serve as a senior leader and entrepreneurial force for the leanest and most effective applied use of AI at SpaceX. You will architect platforms that convert engineering know-how into tested software, automation, and reliable data stores at massive scale while pioneering risk-mitigation tools such as intelligent code review and PR assistants. Current systems are built with Docker containers acting as secure gateways and proxies that integrate with any cloud compute provider and multiple frontier model providers. Your strategic leadership will be critical to accelerating SpaceX production and development by making trustworthy AI a core capability for every team at SpaceX. RESPONSIBILITIES: Define and drive the long-term technical vision and architecture for SpaceX’s AI platform and security infrastructure Lead high-impact initiatives with full ownership over strategy, design, implementation, an
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