Automation & Controls Engineer (Raptor Manufacturing Systems)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP seeks an Automation & Controls Engineer in Hawthorne, CA, to support Raptor manufacturing systems. The role focuses on designing and integrating automation projects, wiring, and commissioning safety logic systems for advanced 3D printers.

The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor's degree in engineering and has experience in automation design. Responsibilities include developing HMI screens and ensuring compliance with safety standards.

Salary ranges from $100,000 to $135,000 with various benefits including medical coverage, retirement plans, and stock options.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of experience in industrial or factory automation design.
• Experience in troubleshooting and maintaining electrical systems.
• Knowledge of NEC and safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage automation projects from ideation to commissioning.
• Develop electrical systems compliant with regulations.
• Architect and debug PLC code for manufacturing applications.

Skills

Industrial automation design

Electrical systems design

PLC programming

Troubleshooting electrical systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or STEM

Tools

EPLAN

Multimeters

Oscilloscopes

Job description

Automation & Controls Engineer (Raptor Manufacturing Systems)

Hawthorne, CA

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 an Automation & Controls Engineer for 3D additive printers supporting Raptor, you will be directly responsible for the design, integration, wiring, and commissioning of safety logic and motion‑controlled systems. As a member of this team, you will play a critical role in delivering these advanced printers at the scale required to meet Starship’s production rate goals and enable humans to reach the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and manage automation projects—including initial design ideation, machine commissioning and proof of rate capability, and eventual hand‑off to operational teams.
• Develop training programs for technicians and engineers.
• Architect, write, and debug PLC code with an emphasis on generating code that is organized, structured, documented, maintainable, and reusable for high‑volume manufacturing applications.
• Keep our factory safe and reliable by implementing ANSI/RIA 15.06/OSHA compliant systems.
• Generate aesthetically simple HMI screens to make complex machines easy to understand, operate, and troubleshoot.
• Design electrical systems compliant with NEC, NFPA, & UL508A regulations.
• Troubleshoot, root‑cause, and repair electronics and electrical component issues on an aggressive production schedule.
• Create schedules and budgets, and motivate the team to achieve them.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or STEM discipline.
• 1+ years of experience in industrial or factory automation design and commissioning.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 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—with the ability to make plans and directional recommendations collaboratively and cross‑functionally.
• Ability to engineer creative, new approaches to problems while adhering to ANSI/RIA 15.06/OSHA safety requirements to keep a factory safe.

Electrical

• Electrical sizing of motors, cables, circuit protection, VFDs, motor starters, and 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, and EMI probes.
• Proficiency in understanding and creating electrical schematics (EPLAN preferred).
• Familiar with fieldbus networks, serial communication, and Ethernet communication (preferably Modbus TCP, Profinet, Profisafe, Ethernet/IP).
• Hands‑on experience designing and commissioning high quality electrical panels and electro‑mechanical systems with appropriate safety considerations in mind.
• Knowledge of NEC, IEC, NFPA, UL508A codes with ability to ensure compliance with control system safety standards.

Electronics

• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot, root‑cause, and repair electronics and electrical component issues on aggressive production schedules, with a track record of driving design or process improvements to prevent recurrence.
• Proficiency with electrical test equipment, including multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, logic analyzers, and spectrum analyzers.
• Experience designing analog, digital, and mixed‑signal circuits.
• Experience with analog signal chains, signal conditioning circuits, or hardware filter design.
• Experience with Ethernet, network switches, microcontrollers, FPGAs, memory devices, or general networking concepts.
• Experience with digital signal processing, analog control loops, or control loop stability analysis.
• Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout software (KiCad, Altium Designer, Eagle, or Xpedition).
• Experience with electrical simulation tools (LTspice, SIMetrix, or similar).
• Familiarity with best practices for low‑noise design and EMI/EMC mitigation in PCB layouts.

Industrial Software

• Experience with PLC programming, preferably using Schneider Electric Machine Expert.
• Experience with variable frequency drives (VFDs), preferably Schneider Electric Altivar.
• Experience programming and implementing machine safety software and safety systems.
• Experience developing SCADA systems using Inductive Automation Ignition and IoT solutions with MQTT and OPC‑UA, with a focus on intuitive user interfaces and machine health monitoring.
• Experience integrating industrial software with mechanical assemblies, electrical systems, sensors, pneumatics, and hydraulics, including performing safe system checkout and validation prior to production implementation.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere.
• Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones.

Compensation and Benefits

Pay range:

Automation & Controls Engineer/Level I: $100,000 – $115,000 per year.
Automation & Controls Engineer/Level 2: $110,000 – $135,000 per year.

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job‑related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long‑term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long‑term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Other benefits include comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage; access to a 401(k) retirement plan; short‑ and long‑term disability insurance; life insurance; paid parental leave; 3 weeks of paid vacation; 10 or more paid holidays per year; and paid sick leave in accordance with company policy.

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident, a refugee, or an asylee, 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 requiring reasonable accommodation to the application or interview process should reach out to [e-mail].