Michael Levy, a 2019 mechanical engineering graduate of Oregon State University, is an operations and software automation engineer at SpaceX, currently working in the Starship Flight Software Division. His path to SpaceX began at OSU, where hands‑on experiences — from loading parachutes into student‑built rockets at 3 a.m. to completing internships with NASA’s Aeromechanics and Fluid Mechanics divisions, Insitu, Zepher, and SpaceX — gave him a deep, practical understanding of aerospace engineering. He graduated magna cum laude.
Levy credits the people and opportunities at OSU for shaping his early career, helping him apply classroom knowledge to real‑world engineering challenges. At SpaceX, he has contributed to Starlink user terminals, Dragon subassemblies, integrated checkouts, and software systems supporting Starship operations. His work now centers on developing Starship flight software.
Levy remains passionate about seeking diverse, challenging experiences — a mindset he first cultivated at Oregon State.