Sr. Launch Engineer, Propellant Systems (Starship)

SpaceX
Starbase, TX

Who this role is best for

Candidates with industrial engineering experience and fluid systems expertise will find this hands-on role at Starbase, TX, highly suitable.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with industrial engineering experience and fluid systems expertise will find this hands-on role at Starbase, TX, highly suitable.
    — “5+ years of hands-on build or design experience”
  • Individuals with a background in cryogenic systems and a willingness to work in extreme environments are ideal for this position.
    — “Work in extreme outdoor environments when needed – heat, cold, wind, rain, etc.”

Things to consider

  • The role requires physical dexterity and the ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted.
    — “Ability to lift heavy objects up to 25 lbs. unassisted”
  • Travel to other SpaceX sites and vendors is a requirement, up to 15% of the time.
    — “Must be willing to travel to other SpaceX sites and vendors - up to 15%”
  • The position demands working in environments with fumes, odors, and noise.
    — “Ability to work in an environment requiring exposure to fumes, odors, and noise”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with cryogenic fluid systems and high-pressure components in your resume and interviews.
    — “Experience with high pressure and cryogenic fluid systems and components and operations”
  • Emphasize your ability to perform detailed pressurized fluid and thermal analysis.
    — “detailed pressurized fluid and thermal analysis”
  • Showcase your track record of project ownership, including design reviews and procurement.
    — “Cradle-to-grave project ownership through hosting design reviews, project decision justification, equipment procurement”
  • Demonstrate your ability to work independently and provide solutions with minimal supervision.
    — “Provide innovative solutions to problems under minimal supervision or direction”
  • Include examples of hands-on fabrication experience, such as welding or machining.
    — “General hands-on experience; automotive, machining, welding, and other fabrication techniques is a plus”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Team

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

What success looks like

  • designing and building systems for rocket launches and testing
  • activating, commissioning, and troubleshooting equipment
  • providing innovative solutions to problems
  • maintaining a tight feedback loop with operations and construction teams
Typical background
mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, or other engineering disciplinehands-on build or design experience

Skills & requirements

Required

Analyzing, Designing, And Building Systems For Rocket Launches And TestingProject Ownership Through Design Reviews, Procurement, And Construction CoordinationInterdisciplinary Engineering Skills In System-level Process Design, Fluid And Thermal Analysis, Structural Engineering, Materials And Component Selection, And Cost/schedule OptimizationWorking Directly With Technicians And Support GroupsMaintaining A Tight Feedback Loop With Operations And Construction TeamsActivating, Commissioning, And Troubleshooting EquipmentApplying A Hands-on Approach To Daily Field ProjectsProviding Innovative Solutions To ProblemsWorking Independently And As Part Of A TeamCommunicating EffectivelyChanging Roles/responsibilities RapidlyVerifying Designs With Simplified Hand Calculations

Preferred

Experience With Quick-thinking And Problem Solving In Time-critical SituationsCreative And Passionate Approach To Addressing Opportunities And ChallengesStrong Fundamental Intuition Of Fluid And/or Structural/mechanical SystemsAbility To Work Independently And As Part Of A TeamAbility To Rapidly Change Roles/responsibilitiesExperience With Instrumentation, Testing, Data Review And Analysis, Verification Against An Analytical ModelExperience With High Pressure And Cryogenic Fluid Systems And Components And OperationsExperience Producing Drawings For FabricationIntermediate Skill Level Using CAD (NX A Plus)

Stack & domain

Mechanical EngineeringChemical EngineeringAerospace EngineeringSystem-level Process DesignPressurized Fluid And Thermal AnalysisStructural EngineeringMaterials And Component SelectionCost/schedule OptimizationCAD (NX)Problem SolvingTeam PlayerSelf-motivatedPositive AttitudeAttention To DetailCreativityCommunicationRocket LaunchesCryogenic Propellant ProcessingLaunch-pad Fluid Systems

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.

SR. LAUNCH ENGINEER, PROPELLANT SYSTEMS (STARSHIP)

The Starship launch team is looking for a highly motivated individual to support the design and build of launch-pad fluid systems, focusing on implementing cryogenic propellant processing and generation systems for all Starship launch sites, landing sites, test sites, production facilities, etc. Join the team responsible for launching the largest and most powerful rocket on Earth.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Analyze, design, and build systems that support critical rocket launches and testing

Cradle-to-grave project ownership through hosting design reviews, project decision justification, equipment procurement, and coordination and assistance in the construction of your ideas

Apply interdisciplinary engineering skills in fields of system-level process design and initial sizing, detailed pressurized fluid and thermal analysis, structural engineering, materials and component selection, and cost/schedule optimization

Work directly with technicians and support groups to build your designs and fix real-world problems on the fly

Maintain a tight feedback loop with operations and construction teams to rapidly alter plans as necessary to meet tight deadlines

Activate, commission, and troubleshoot equipment to achieve design objectives and iterate system maintenance strategies to reduce future downtime

Apply a hands-on approach to tackling daily field projects necessary to keep the company launching rockets

Provide innovative solutions to problems under minimal supervision or direction

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, or other engineering discipline

5+ years of hands-on build or design experience

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Experience with quick-thinking and problem solving in time-critical situations

Collaborative team player, enthusiastic, self-motivated, with a positive can-do attitude

Acute attention to detail, ability to see interactions with other systems to avoid problems

Creative and passionate approach to addressing opportunities and challenges while balancing cost and schedule

Strong fundamental intuition of fluid and/or structural/mechanical systems

Creativity to imagine and design for reliability, efficiency, and maintainability from scratch

General hands-on experience; automotive, machining, welding, and other fabrication techniques is a plus

Ability to work independently as well as part of a team, take initiative, and communicate effectively

Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while maintaining a high sense of urgency in a high-paced, challenging work environment

Ability to verify designs with simplified hand calculations; experience in finite element analysis or computational fluid dynamics is a plus

3+ years of mechanical, fluids, or thermal design experience in an industrial setting or equivalent

Experience with instrumentation, testing, data review and analysis, verification against an analytical model

Experience with high pressure and cryogenic fluid systems and components and operations

Experience producing drawings for fabrication

Intermediate skill level using CAD (NX a plus)

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) piping and pressure vessel design experience

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to respond to emergencies to support priority projects, missions, and launches

Ability to work extended hours and weekends as needed; flexibility is required

Ability to work in extreme outdoor environments when needed – heat, cold, wind, rain, etc.

Ability to work in an environment requiring exposure to fumes, odors, and noise

Working conditions may be in tight quarters and physical dexterity is required

Ability to lift heavy objects up to 25 lbs. unassisted

Ability to work on ladders, lifts, and at elevated heights (up to 300 feet) with proper personal protective equipment (PPE)

Must be willing to travel to other SpaceX sites and vendors - up to 15%

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)

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