Sr. Site Reliability Engineer, AI Infrastructure (Starshield)
About this role
Engineers who thrive on scaling massive GPU clusters and building infrastructure for national security missions will find a strong fit within this group. The Starshield team at SpaceX designs, builds, and operates the largest government satellite constellation in the world to deliver critical intelligence data anywhere on the globe.
In this capacity, the engineer will manage GPU and CPU infrastructure deployments to Top Secret data centers and build automation for on-premise Kubernetes and AI clusters. The role exists to support the software and infrastructure behind complex satellite operations, ensuring high availability and performance at scale. Candidates who excel here bring deep operational experience with Linux systems and a drive to solve hardware-software integration challenges.
What you will do
- Manage GPU and CPU infrastructure deployments inside Top Secret data centers.
- Provide operational support for GPU as a service on bare metal hardware and virtualized platforms for external customers.
- Design, validate, and productize infrastructure solutions for AI clusters scaling to over 100,000 GPUs.
- Develop automation tools to deploy and manage on-premise Kubernetes, AI clusters, and operating systems.
- Deploy and oversee core infrastructure components including databases, monitoring tools, and distributed storage systems.
- Collaborate directly with artificial intelligence engineers to build scalable and maintainable products.
- Manage the entire service lifecycle from initial design and deployment through operation and ongoing refinement.
- Mentor junior engineers and guide the team toward technical excellence.
What you need
- Possess a Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, IT, or an engineering discipline with at least 5 years of professional Linux experience, or 7 years of relevant experience in software, DevOps, or site reliability engineering without a degree.
- Bring a minimum of 5 years of professional experience working with Kubernetes.
- Demonstrate at least 5 years of experience managing Linux operating systems.
- Show practical experience utilizing infrastructure tools such as Terraform or Ansible.
- Have hands-on background with containerization technologies including OCI containers and Kubernetes.
- Demonstrate scripting proficiency in languages like Bash or Python.
- Possess software development experience in Python, C++, or Go.
Nice to have
- 5+ years of experience with Python and Python-based development frameworks
- Experience managing Kubernetes clusters rather than just using them
- Knowledge of the Linux boot process and systems configuration
- Experience using NVIDIA GPU deployment stacks such as Blackwell and Rubin
- Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
- Access to a 401(k) retirement plan
- Short and long-term disability insurance and life insurance
- Paid parental leave, paid vacation, and paid holidays
- Company stock, long-term cash awards, and employee stock purchase plan
- Active clearance differential up to an additional $20,000 annually
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the salary range for this role?
The base pay range for Level 3 is $165,000.00 to $265,000.00. The actual level and base salary are determined on a case-by-case basis based on job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.
What are the travel and work hour expectations?
Employees must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed. You must also be willing to travel domestically and globally in the future when required.
What security clearance is required for this position?
This position requires successfully obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret Security Clearance as a condition of employment. While the clearance may not be immediately necessary upon hire, applicants are encouraged to initiate the application process promptly upon accepting the offer.
Are there specific citizenship requirements to apply?
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, a U.S. lawful permanent resident, a refugee, an asylee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.