Mechanical Architect & Design Lead, AI Hardware - Palo Alto [267285]

$160,000 - $414,000 yearly

Job Description

We are building the future of computing in partnering with SpaceX - a distributed, AI-optimized data center infrastructure operating in space. The terawatts orbital AI data center will be powered by Dojo - our custom supercomputer designed for the neural networks behind SpaceX, xAI, FSD, and Optimus.

We are seeking a visionary Mechanical Architect & Design Lead to spearhead the mechanical design, thermal management, and structural integration of our pioneering space-based AI data center project. In this high-impact role, you will transition computing infrastructure from traditional terrestrial environments to orbital platforms, overcoming the challenges of a vacuum environment to deliver sustainable, high-density AI compute. You will lead the design from concept through launch and on-orbit commissioning, focusing on passive and active thermal management, radiation shielding, and structural efficiency for Dojo D3-accelerated high power workloads.

The Role

  • Architectural Design Lead: Define and evolve the overall mechanical architecture of the orbital data center module, including structures, deployables, and thermal interfaces
  • Thermal Control Strategy: collaborate with thermal team to architect advanced thermal systems (liquid cooling, loop heat pipes, radiator arrays) to reject terawatts of heat into deep space in a vacuum environment where convective cooling is absent
  • High-Density Integration: Design high-density server rack layouts tailored for AI workloads, optimizing for both power efficiency and structural integrity during launch, maximizing compute capacity in a constrained volume
  • Environmental Survivability: Develop and oversee radiation shielding and thermoelastic structural analyses (FEA/CFD) to ensure hardware reliability in harsh space environments, managing thermo-mechanical interfaces
Anthony Antonucci

Qualifications

Relevant experience in Tesla AI; strong problem-solving skills; commitment to Tesla mission.

Immediate Fill

No