Application Security Engineer

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.

APPLICATION SECURITY ENGINEER

As a member of the SpaceX Security Engineering organization, the Application Security Engineer will act as a trusted partner to development and business teams, ensuring that security considerations are addressed without slowing down delivery. This role requires strong communication skills, the ability to translate security requirements into practical guidance, and a collaborative mindset to balance business priorities with risk reduction.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serving as a primary point of contact between Security Engineering and development teams for security reviews.
• Supporting developers in understanding and implementing secure design practices.
• Ensuring security findings are communicated in a way that is clear, actionable, and aligned to business objectives.
• Partnering with other security sub-teams (e.g., compliance, infrastructure, detection/response) to maintain consistency across security initiatives.
• Building productive relationships with stakeholders across SpaceX to foster a culture of security awareness and shared responsibility.
• Perform comprehensive security reviews of applications and services developed across SpaceX.
• Evaluate architecture, authentication/authorization flows, data handling, and exposure to external entities.
• Document findings with actionable recommendations for remediation.
• Collaborate with development teams to ensure issues are understood and addressed before release.
• Escalate critical risks to leadership promptly while providing balanced options for mitigation.
• Participate in peer review of security assessments to maintain quality and consistency.
• Provide input on improving team processes, documentation, and standards.
• Share lessons learned from reviews and projects to help scale security knowledge across SpaceX.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in information systems, information security, computer science, or computer engineering and 1+ years of information security, networking and/or systems administration experience (internships and co-ops may qualify); or 4+ years of information security experience without a degree.
• Experience with secure code development practices.
• Experience with common programming languages (e.g., Python, GO, C#, or Rust) and the ability to identify insecure coding practices.
• Experience with Linux, Windows, and Mac system internals.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience with threat modeling and secure architecture design.
• Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their native security controls.
• Familiarity with developing web-based APIs, HTTP-RPC, and REST.
• Knowledge of automation/scripting (Python, Bash, PowerShell) to streamline assessments and reporting.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings into business impacts.
• Relevant certifications (OSWE, OSCP, GWAPT, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with enterprise security controls and security best practices for Windows, Linux, and Mac systems. 
• Effective problem-solving skills, and ability to quickly determine root-causes of issues. 
• Familiarity with macOS and Windows code-signing and deployment of enterprise applications.
• Familiarity with enterprise security controls and security best practices for Windows, Linux, and Mac systems.
• Effective problem-solving skills, and ability to quickly determine root-causes of issues. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends.
• This role is based in Hawthorne, CA and will require you to be onsite. Remote or hybrid work will not be considered.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:          

Security Engineer/Level I: $130,000.00 - $150,000.00/per year   

Security Engineer/Level II: $145,000.00 - $175,000.00/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. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

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.