Sr. Automation & Controls Engineer, Solar Cell Factory (Starlink)

The role

You will design, build, and optimize controls and automation systems for solar cell manufacturing equipment and material movement mechanisms. This role involves managing automation projects, writing PLC code, and ensuring factory safety and reliability.

What you will do

• Design, develop, and manage automation projects
• Architect, write, and debug PLC code
• Implement ANSI/RIA15.06/OSHA compliant systems for robots, gantries, conveyors, and other equipment
• Generate HMI screens
• Integrate equipment into master SCADA and MES systems
• Design electrical systems compliant to NEC, NFPA, & UL508A regulations
• Create schedules and budgets

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or chemical discipline
• 5+ years of experience with high-speed manufacturing, controls and automation, and/or programming
• Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones

Nice to have

• Excited by a quick and iterative design and manufacturing role
• Proven ability to solve complex problems with simple solutions in both design and implementation stages
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Ability to engineer creative, new approaches to problems while adhering to ANSI/RIA15.06/OSHA safety requirements
• Hazardous process expertise in an aerospace, oil and gas, or chemical industry
• Electrical sizing of motors, valves, pneumatics, cables, circuit protection, VFDs, motor starters, various other motion systems
• Design of fail-safe electrical circuits using both safety logic controllers and safety-rated relays
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting industrial electrical systems using tools like multimeters, oscilloscopes, EMI probes
• Proficiency in understanding and creating electrical schematics and single line diagrams (EPLAN preferred)
• Field bus networks, serial communication, Profinet and Ethernet communications

Before you apply

• 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, o

About the company

SpaceX is developing technologies to enable human life on Mars. They are leveraging experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, a large satellite constellation providing broadband internet.