Automation Build Engineer, Development (Starlink)

SpaceX
Bastrop, TX
On-site

Who this role is best for

Mechanical or electrical engineers with automation experience and cross-functional collaboration skills will find this mid-level role in development operations at SpaceX in Bastrop, TX, highly aligned with their background.

Best fit for

  • Mid-level engineers with automation and cross-functional team leadership experience
    — “you will coordinate ownership across these multi-disciplinary teams
  • Candidates who have implemented design for manufacturability and reliability improvements
    — “Contribute to design reviews acting as an expert in design for manufacturability, design for reliability, design for maintenance
  • Individuals with hands-on tooling design and validation experience in manufacturing environments
    — “Demonstrated experience designing tooling in a manufacturing environment
  • Professionals with expertise in statistical process control and data analysis for production optimization
    — “SPC (Statistical Process Control) knowledge and experience applying statistical methods to track process capability

Things to consider

  • Willingness to work extended hours and travel up to 10% is a key requirement
    — “Must be willing to work extended hours and/or overtime as needed
  • U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is mandatory due to ITAR requirements
    — “applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident

How to stand out

  • Highlight your experience in transitioning products from design to production in fast-paced environments
    — “Experience transitioning products from design to manufacturing as part of a cross-functional team in a fast-paced iterative design environment
  • Showcase your ability to drive cost reduction and process optimization initiatives
    — “Spearhead cost reduction efforts and implement initiatives to meet and exceed departmental objectives
  • Emphasize your hands-on engineering experience and problem-solving in manufacturing settings
    — “Hands-on engineer with a passion for continuous improvement
  • Demonstrate your capability to develop training materials for technical personnel
    — “Develop training requirements for built technician personnel
  • Include examples of your work with 3D CAD software like Solidworks or NX
    — “Experience modeling with 3D CAD software such as: NX, Catia, Solidworks or equivalent
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · CompanyLevel · Mid

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • Leading large-scale projects
  • Developing standardized procedures
  • Optimizing fabrication and integration processes
  • Collaborating with engineering and support teams
  • Designing tooling for efficiency
Typical background
Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline2+ years of experience in design, manufacturing, and/or production of mechanical or electrical hardware systems

Skills & requirements

Required

Automation Build EngineeringDevelopment OperationsStandardized ProceduresOptimizing FabricationIntegration ProcessesCoordination With Multi-disciplinary TeamsDesign For ManufacturabilityDesign For ReliabilityDesign For MaintenanceSupplier Capabilities AssessmentsQuality Control

Preferred

SpacexStarlinkMechanical Or Electrical Hardware SystemsModular Automation AssetsEngineering DocumentationCost Reduction EffortsTooling DesignTraining RequirementsCreative Problem Solving

Stack & domain

Manufacturing ProcessesFabricationIntegration ProcessesDesign For ManufacturabilityDesign For ReliabilityCollaborationProblem-solvingProject ManagementTeamworkManufacturingEngineeringProduction

About the role

Original posting from SpaceX via Greenhouse

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.

AUTOMATION BUILD ENGINEER, DEVELOPMENT (STARLINK)

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.

As a build engineer on the Development Operations team, you will be responsible for leading large-scale projects, developing standardized procedures, and optimizing fabrication and integration processes to drive overall efficiency inside our shop, across our internal customer base and strategic partnerships with local vendors.

Working in concert with Starlink engineering product teams, supply chain, materials management, and leadership, you will coordinate ownership across these multi-disciplinary teams. You will collaborate daily, driving meaningful changes to processes, procedures, planning, and organization to improve fabrication and integration workflow. You will take extreme ownership of deliverables, schedule adherence, and alignment with overall program milestones.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Act as the primary liaison between automation, supply chain, production, and development operations to ensure factory infrastructure is built and deployed to meet program milestones

Ideate and implement new manufacturing processes and workflows within the development operations team to increase shop throughput, efficiency and personnel safety

Manage the build, configuration and instillation of all modular automation assets within the team’s catalog from raw material purchase to complete cell build and handoff to automation/production

Work with peer engineering and support teams to drive design updates in response to manufacturing issues, part obsolescence, and system requirement changes

Prepare engineering documentation necessary for the transition from development to production including assembly procedures, integration instruction and manufacturing bills of materials

Work with supplier and internal vendors to fabricate piece parts and sub-assemblies at rate to meet production needs or supplement internal capacity

Contribute to design reviews acting as an expert in design for manufacturability, design for reliability, design for maintenance, supplier capabilities assessments, quality control, etc.

Spearhead cost reduction efforts and implement initiatives to meet and exceed departmental objectives while not compromising on quality

Design, develop, validate, and implement tooling to ensure repeatability and efficiency

Primary point of contact for non-conforming product (cells, panels & tooling), troubleshooting, root cause, failure investigations and corrective actions

Develop training requirements for built technician personnel and work to elevate overall team capability and productivity

Work creatively and innovate to support SpaceX's goals by always being prepared to challenge the status quo

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline

2+ years of experience in design, manufacturing, and/or production of mechanical or electrical hardware systems (internship and collegiate extracurricular engineering project experience qualifies)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

2+ years of experience implementing design for manufacture for electromechanical systems

2+ years of professional experience in design and/or production of mechanical or electronics hardware systems

Ability to create and deliver presentations for design and manufacturing readiness reviews

Experience transitioning products from design to manufacturing as part of a cross-functional team in a fast-paced iterative design environment

Experience modeling with 3D CAD software such as: NX, Catia, Solidworks or equivalent

Working proficiency with DFMEA and PFMEA methodology and implementation

SPC (Statistical Process Control) knowledge and experience applying statistical methods to track process capability

Competency with SQL databases

Demonstrated experience designing tooling in a manufacturing environment

Hands-on engineer with a passion for continuous improvement

Capable of solving complex problems with little to no supervision on schedule as an individual or as a member of an integrated team

Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be willing to work extended hours and/or overtime as needed

Some travel to outside vendors may be required (up to 10%)

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. 

Source: SpaceX careers (Greenhouse)

Similar roles