Principal Software Engineer, CDN (Starlink)

SpaceX· Redmond, WA· Starlink Network Engineering

Posted 2026-10-30

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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, CDN (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 10M+ 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. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential global impact and are looking for the world’s best engineers to help maximize Starlink’s utility for communities and businesses around the globe.

As Starlink grows to serve billions of users around the world, we’re continuously assessing ways to maximize the use of our technology for people around the world. Our CDN team will be pivotal in this effort, building scalable distributed systems that underly the future offerings Starlink is able to provide to users and customers around the world.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Design, build, and scale a new Content Delivery Network (CDN) for Starlink
Build robust, responsive, and scalable distributed systems.
Build the necessary tools, visibility, and alerting mechanisms to effectively diagnose, operate, and maintain complex, business-critical systems in real-time.
Design algorithms to understand and optimize hardware utilization and cost efficiency, evaluated against intuitive and business-critical performance metrics.
Implement the systems which shape traffic across multiple CDNs.
Participate in and lead architecture, design, and code reviews.
Develop prototypes and manage experiments to prove out future design concepts and future use cases for Starlink.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering or other STEM discipline AND 10+ years of professional experience in software development; Or 12+ years of software development experience in lieu of a degree.
Software development experience in C, C++, or Rust.
5+ years of professional distributed systems experience or experience designing, building, and/ scaling a CDN system.
7+ years of professional networking experience.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Advanced degree in computer science or engineering.
Professional experience working on complex networking systems (layers 0-7).
Experience with Edge Networking, DNS, Traffic Management, Caching, Load Balancing, SSL/TLS, DDoS protection, and/or monitoring.
Knowledgeable in network topology, numerical optimization techniques, graph theory approaches, or convex optimization.
Developed, debugged, and deployed scalable software that has been used in real world applications/projects.
Creative approach to problem solving, exceptional analytical skills, and engineering fundamentals.
Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment with changing needs and requirements.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

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

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:
Software Engineer /Senior: $260,000.00 - $345,000.00/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, stock options, 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, access to 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 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Exempt employees are eligible for 5 days of sick leave per year.

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 [email protected].

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