Lead Starship Engineer (Ship Vehicle Assembly)

The role

The Lead Starship Engineer is responsible for the production of the Starship airframe weldment. This includes assembling the Integrated Payload Volume, PEZ, Raceway, Tank Cleaning, and Megabay 2 Stacking. The role involves leading a team of build engineers to ensure efficiency, cost, and quality of pressurized components, propulsion systems, and structures.

What you will do

• Lead and develop a team of build engineers designing the production system
• Mentor and foster the continual technical and professional development of team members
• Develop lean manufacturing processes, factory infrastructure, tools, and documentation
• Work with the design engineering team to drive simplicity into the vehicle systems
• Build long-term direction for vehicle architecture and factory infrastructures
• Coordinate and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing of systems and tooling
• Create original CAD models and prints for flight and/or tooling components
• Execute design for manufacturability changes to enhance production efficiency
• Create and maintain build schedules and detailed work instructions
• Develop process parameters, requirements, and drive next generation architectures

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering
• 2+ years of process development and build experience on integrated assemblies
• Physical dexterity required for building flight hardware in tight quarters
• Ability to perform job duties that require standing, kneeling, crouching, twisting upper body, working in cramped positions in small openings and climbing hand over hand
• Occasionally exposed to work in extreme outdoor environments – heat, cold, rain
• Work performed in an environment requiring exposure to fumes, odors, and noise
• Must be able to work extended hours and weekends depending on site operational needs
• Flexibility to travel to remote build sites – up to 15%
• Stand: Up to 3 hours per day
• Sit: Up to 6 hours per day
• Push/Pull: Up to 50lbs. (unassisted) Up to 15 minutes per day
• Overhead reach: Up to 3 hours per day

Nice to have

• Master's degree in engineering discipline
• Experience recruiting, training, and managing a high performing team with wide scope
• Experience with process development, facility and line layouts, and error-proofing
• Experience owning the outcome of large integrated build and test scope
• Experience with fluid dynamics and pressurized components (valves, regulators, tubes, pipes, etc.)
• Experience leading operation-critical part mechanical design
• Experience with CAD and FEA software packages
• Experience with Unigraphics NX and Teamcenter CAD and PLM systems
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills

Before you apply

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful, permanent resident, Refugee, or Asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State
• Candidate may be required to complete a pre-employment questionnaire and/or physical to confirm capabilities, which may include a medical history review

About the company

SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make human life on Mars possible.