🚀 Sr. IT Systems Engineer, Configuration Management Database Engineering

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. IT Systems Engineer, Configuration Management Database Engineering
Company: SpaceX
Location: Hawthorne, California, United States
Job Type: On-site
Category: DevOps, IT Infrastructure
Date Posted: August 1, 2025
Experience Level: 5-10 years

🚀 Role Summary

Key Responsibilities: Design, implement, and manage the CMDB platform in Atlassian Jira, ensuring data accuracy and integrity across all configuration items (CIs), particularly for finance and hardware assets. Establish relationships between applications, infrastructure components, and services to provide clear visibility into system dependencies and reliability risks. Support outage and incident analysis by linking tickets to impacted assets and application stacks. Collaborate cross-functionally with IT, engineering, finance, and operations to ensure accurate mapping of application services to infrastructure and cost centers.
Key Technologies: Atlassian Jira, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, enterprise asset management, infrastructure monitoring, service mapping tools, data modeling, configuration item lifecycle processes, financial asset tagging, cost center attribution, incident and change management processes, data ingestion pipelines, APIs, scripting (e.g., Python or PowerShell), ETL tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in Configuration Management Database (CMDB) engineering, with a focus on data accuracy, integrity, and relationships between applications and infrastructure. Experience in a dynamic, innovative environment like SpaceX is preferred.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

CMDB Platform Management: Design, implement, and manage the CMDB platform in Atlassian Jira, ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and integrity across all configuration items (CIs), particularly for finance and hardware assets.
Application Dependency Mapping: Establish relationships between applications, infrastructure components, and services to provide clear visibility into system dependencies and reliability risks.
Incident and Outage Analysis: Support outage and incident analysis by linking tickets to impacted assets and application stacks.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work cross-functionally with IT, engineering, finance, and operations to ensure accurate mapping of application services to infrastructure and cost centers.
Data Ingestion and Automation: Build automation and reconciliation processes to ingest data from sources such as discovery tools, MDM platforms, ERP systems, and monitoring solutions (CheckMK, Grafana).
Reporting and Visualization: Develop dashboards and reports to visualize asset health, lifecycle status, application dependencies, and risk exposure.
Subject Matter Expertise: Serve as a subject matter expert on CMDB architecture, data modeling, governance, and service reliability use cases.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, or an engineering discipline.

Experience: 5+ years of experience managing or administering a Configuration Management Database.

Required Skills:

Experience with IT Service Management (ITSM) platforms such as ServiceNow or Jira Service Management.
Proficiency with data modeling and configuration item (CI) lifecycle processes.
Familiarity with financial asset tagging, cost center attribution, and inventory lifecycle.
Knowledge of incident and change management processes, and how they relate to CMDB data.
Experience with data ingestion pipelines, APIs, scripting (e.g., Python or PowerShell), and ETL tools.
Strong analytical skills and ability to translate technical data into meaningful operational insights.

Preferred Skills:

Experience with enterprise asset management (Atlassian Jira), infrastructure monitoring (CheckMK, Grafana), and service mapping tools.
Proficiency with data modeling and configuration item (CI) lifecycle processes.
Familiarity with financial asset tagging, cost center attribution, and inventory lifecycle.
Knowledge of incident and change management processes, and how they relate to CMDB data.
Experience with data ingestion pipelines, APIs, scripting (e.g., Python or PowerShell), and ETL tools.
Strong analytical skills and ability to translate technical data into meaningful operational insights.
Experience in environments focused on system reliability, automation, or regulatory compliance.
Ability to influence stakeholders and communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Demonstrate experience in designing, implementing, and managing CMDB platforms, with a focus on data accuracy, integrity, and relationships between applications and infrastructure.
Showcase your ability to support outage and incident analysis, and collaborate cross-functionally with various teams to ensure accurate mapping of application services to infrastructure and cost centers.
Highlight your proficiency in data modeling, configuration item lifecycle processes, and financial asset tagging, cost center attribution, and inventory lifecycle.
Display your expertise in incident and change management processes, data ingestion pipelines, APIs, scripting, and ETL tools.

Technical Documentation:

Provide detailed documentation on your CMDB architecture, data modeling, governance, and service reliability use cases.
Include examples of your ability to translate technical data into meaningful operational insights, and communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Showcase your experience in environments focused on system reliability, automation, or regulatory compliance.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $135,000 - $180,000 per year

Benefits:

Medical Coverage
Vision Coverage
Dental Coverage
401(k) Retirement Plan
Short & Long-Term Disability Insurance
Life Insurance
Paid Parental Leave
Paid Vacation (3 weeks)
Paid Holidays (10 or more per year)
Sick Leave (5 days per year for exempt employees)

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is an estimate based on regional standards for similar roles in the IT industry. The actual salary may vary based on the candidate's knowledge, skills, and experience.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Aerospace & Defense

Company Size: Large (10,000+ employees)

Founded: 2002

Team Structure:

The IT team at SpaceX consists of various sub-teams, including IT Systems Engineering, IT Infrastructure, and IT Service Management.
The CMDB team works closely with IT, engineering, finance, and operations teams to ensure accurate mapping of application services to infrastructure and cost centers.
The team follows Agile methodologies and collaborates cross-functionally to deliver reliable and innovative IT solutions.

Development Methodology:

The team follows Agile methodologies, with a focus on iterative development, continuous improvement, and regular sprint planning.
Code reviews, testing, and quality assurance practices are in place to ensure the delivery of high-quality, reliable IT solutions.
Deployment strategies, CI/CD pipelines, and server management are critical aspects of the team's work to ensure the stability and scalability of SpaceX's IT infrastructure.

Company Website: SpaceX Website

📝 Enhancement Note: SpaceX's unique culture is characterized by innovation, collaboration, and a strong focus on mission-critical systems. The company values employees who can thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and contribute to the development of cutting-edge technologies.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Senior IT Systems Engineer, Configuration Management Database Engineering

Reporting Structure: The Sr. IT Systems Engineer reports directly to the IT Systems Engineering Manager and works closely with various teams, including IT, engineering, finance, and operations.

Technical Impact: The Sr. IT Systems Engineer plays a critical role in ensuring accurate insights across IT assets, incident patterns, and financial accountability, supporting the reliability and resilience of critical systems across the company.

Growth Opportunities:

Technical Progression: As the company continues to grow and expand its operations, there will be opportunities for the Sr. IT Systems Engineer to take on more complex projects and advance their technical skills in areas such as data analytics, machine learning, or infrastructure automation.
Leadership Development: With experience and proven performance, the Sr. IT Systems Engineer may have the opportunity to take on leadership roles within the IT Systems Engineering team or across other IT teams within the organization.
Architecture Decisions: As the company's IT infrastructure continues to evolve, the Sr. IT Systems Engineer may be involved in making critical architecture decisions that impact the reliability, scalability, and performance of SpaceX's systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: SpaceX's rapid growth and innovative nature provide ample opportunities for technical and leadership development within the IT Systems Engineering team and across the organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, with a hybrid work arrangement available for some roles.

Office Location(s): Hawthorne, California, United States

Workspace Context:

The workspace at SpaceX is designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and productivity, with open-plan offices, dedicated meeting spaces, and state-of-the-art technology infrastructure.
Employees have access to multiple monitors, testing devices, and development tools to support their work.
The work environment encourages cross-functional interaction and knowledge sharing between IT, engineering, and other teams within the organization.

Work Schedule: The work schedule for this role is typically Monday through Friday, with the possibility of extended hours or weekend work as needed to meet major milestones.

📝 Enhancement Note: SpaceX's work environment is designed to support the company's mission-critical operations and foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

Phone Screen: A brief phone or video call to discuss the candidate's background, experience, and qualifications for the role.
Technical Assessment: A hands-on assessment or take-home project to evaluate the candidate's technical skills in CMDB engineering, data modeling, and incident analysis.
On-site Interview: A series of in-depth interviews with members of the IT Systems Engineering team, IT leadership, and other stakeholders to assess the candidate's cultural fit, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities.
Final Evaluation: A comprehensive review of the candidate's interview performance, technical assessment results, and references to make a final hiring decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Highlight your experience in designing, implementing, and managing CMDB platforms, with a focus on data accuracy, integrity, and relationships between applications and infrastructure.
Showcase your ability to support outage and incident analysis, and collaborate cross-functionally with various teams to ensure accurate mapping of application services to infrastructure and cost centers.
Demonstrate your proficiency in data modeling, configuration item lifecycle processes, financial asset tagging, cost center attribution, and inventory lifecycle.
Include examples of your expertise in incident and change management processes, data ingestion pipelines, APIs, scripting, and ETL tools.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

Brush up on your knowledge of CMDB architecture, data modeling, governance, and service reliability use cases.
Familiarize yourself with the Atlassian Jira platform, enterprise asset management, infrastructure monitoring, service mapping tools, data ingestion pipelines, APIs, scripting, and ETL tools.
Prepare for questions related to incident and change management processes, financial asset tagging, cost center attribution, and inventory lifecycle.

ATS Keywords:

Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
Data Accuracy
Data Ingestion
Incident Analysis
Application Dependency Mapping
Infrastructure Monitoring
Service Mapping
Financial Asset Tagging
Cost Center Attribution
Inventory Lifecycle
Data Modeling
APIs
Scripting
ETL Tools
Agile Methodologies
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Stakeholder Influence
Technical Communication
System Reliability
Regulatory Compliance

📝 Enhancement Note: SpaceX's interview process is designed to assess the candidate's technical skills, cultural fit, and ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. The company values candidates who can contribute to the development of cutting-edge technologies and support the company's mission-critical operations.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Frontend Technologies: Not applicable for this role.

Backend & Server Technologies:

Atlassian Jira (CMDB platform)
ServiceNow (IT Service Management)
CheckMK (infrastructure monitoring)
Grafana (data visualization)
Python or PowerShell (scripting)
ETL tools (e.g., Talend, Pentaho)

Development & DevOps Tools:

Jira (project management)
Confluence (collaboration)
Bitbucket (version control)
Jenkins (CI/CD pipelines)
Ansible (infrastructure automation)
Docker (containerization)
Kubernetes (orchestration)

📝 Enhancement Note: SpaceX's technology stack is designed to support the company's mission-critical operations and foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The technology stack is subject to change as the company's needs evolve.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

Innovation: SpaceX values employees who can think outside the box and contribute to the development of cutting-edge technologies.
Collaboration: The company fosters a culture of collaboration, with a strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork and knowledge sharing.
Mission-Critical: SpaceX's operations are mission-critical, and the company values employees who can work effectively under pressure and prioritize the company's goals above their own.
Continuous Improvement: The company encourages a culture of continuous improvement, with a focus on iterative development, regular feedback, and ongoing professional development.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: SpaceX's teams work closely together, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between IT, engineering, finance, and other departments within the organization.
Code Review Culture: The company values a culture of code review, with a focus on peer programming, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning.
Knowledge Sharing: SpaceX encourages a culture of knowledge sharing, with regular team meetings, brown bag sessions, and technical training opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: SpaceX's culture is characterized by innovation, collaboration, and a strong focus on mission-critical systems. The company values employees who can thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and contribute to the development of cutting-edge technologies.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

Data Integrity: Ensuring accurate, complete, and up-to-date data across all configuration items (CIs), particularly for finance and hardware assets, can be challenging due to the dynamic nature of IT environments and the potential for manual errors.
Incident Analysis: Supporting outage and incident analysis requires a deep understanding of the company's IT infrastructure, application dependencies, and the ability to quickly identify and resolve issues that impact critical systems.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Working effectively with various teams, including IT, engineering, finance, and operations, requires strong communication skills, a deep understanding of each team's priorities and goals, and the ability to balance competing demands and priorities.
Data Modeling: Designing and maintaining data models that accurately represent the company's IT infrastructure, application dependencies, and business processes can be challenging due to the complex and evolving nature of modern IT environments.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Technical Skill Development: SpaceX offers opportunities for technical skill development in areas such as data analytics, machine learning, or infrastructure automation, allowing employees to expand their knowledge and expertise in their respective fields.
Conference Attendance: The company encourages employees to attend industry conferences, workshops, and training events to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in IT and web development.
Certification Programs: SpaceX supports employees in obtaining relevant certifications, such as those offered by Atlassian, ITIL, or other industry-standard organizations, to enhance their skills and credibility in the field.
Technical Mentorship: The company provides opportunities for technical mentorship, with experienced team members sharing their knowledge and expertise with junior team members and new hires.

📝 Enhancement Note: SpaceX's challenges and growth opportunities are driven by the company's mission-critical nature, rapid growth, and commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. Employees who can thrive in this dynamic environment and contribute to the development of cutting-edge technologies will have ample opportunities for technical and leadership development within the organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

CMDB Architecture: Can you describe your experience with CMDB architecture, data modeling, and governance? How have you ensured data accuracy and integrity in your previous roles?
Incident Analysis: How have you supported outage and incident analysis in your previous roles? Can you provide an example of a complex incident you've handled and the steps you took to resolve it?
Application Dependency Mapping: Can you explain your approach to application dependency mapping and how you've ensured accurate relationships between applications, infrastructure components, and services in your previous roles?
Data Ingestion: How have you designed and implemented data ingestion pipelines, APIs, and ETL tools to ensure accurate and up-to-date data in your CMDB?

Company & Culture Questions:

SpaceX Culture: How do you think you would fit into SpaceX's unique culture, and what aspects of the company's mission and values resonate with you?
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Can you describe your experience working with various teams, including IT, engineering, finance, and operations? How have you ensured accurate mapping of application services to infrastructure and cost centers in your previous roles?
Agile Methodologies: How have you applied Agile methodologies in your previous roles, and what specific practices have you found to be most effective in your experience?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

CMDB Platform Demonstration: Prepare a live demonstration of your experience designing, implementing, and managing CMDB platforms, with a focus on data accuracy, integrity, and relationships between applications and infrastructure.
Incident Analysis Case Study: Present a case study of a complex incident you've handled, outlining your approach to incident analysis, data-driven decision-making, and the steps you took to resolve the issue.
Data Modeling and Visualization: Prepare visualizations or dashboards that showcase your expertise in data modeling, configuration item lifecycle processes, financial asset tagging, cost center attribution, and inventory lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: SpaceX's interview process is designed to assess the candidate's technical skills, cultural fit, and ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. The company values candidates who can contribute to the development of cutting-edge technologies and support the company's mission-critical operations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. IT Systems Engineer, Configuration Management Database Engineering position at SpaceX:

Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your relevant experience in CMDB engineering, data modeling, incident analysis, and cross-functional collaboration, using the ATS keywords provided in the ATS Keywords section.
Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio showcases your experience in designing, implementing, and managing CMDB platforms, with a focus on data accuracy, integrity, and relationships between applications and infrastructure. Include case studies of complex incidents you've handled and your approach to incident analysis, data-driven decision-making, and resolution.
Research SpaceX: Thoroughly research SpaceX's mission, values, and culture to ensure you understand the company's unique environment and can articulate how your skills and experience align with the company's goals and objectives.
Prepare for Technical Challenges: Brush up on your knowledge of CMDB architecture, data modeling, governance, and service reliability use cases. Familiarize yourself with the Atlassian Jira platform, enterprise asset management, infrastructure monitoring, service mapping tools, data ingestion pipelines, APIs, scripting, and ETL tools. Prepare for questions related to incident and change management processes, financial asset tagging, cost center attribution, and inventory lifecycle.
Apply: Submit your application through the application link provided in the job listing, following the instructions and guidelines outlined in the job description.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Sr. IT Systems Engineer, Configuration Management Database Engineering