Automation & Controls Specialist (Starship)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace company in Cape Canaveral seeks an Automation & Controls Specialist to design and activate systems for the Starship program. Successful candidates will manage electrical components and troubleshoot critical systems in a dynamic environment. The role requires a high school diploma, several years of relevant experience, and the ability to work under pressure. Applicants must be U.S. citizens for compliance with government regulations. This position offers a chance to contribute to groundbreaking space technology.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in a controls technician, controls specialist, or engineering role.
• Fundamental understanding of engineering principles behind electronic equipment and instrumentation.
• Experience designing and installing instrumentation and control systems in hazardous areas.

Responsibilities

• Provide innovative solutions to challenges faced by the team.
• Execute the integration and activation testing of new equipment.
• Manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, pneumatic, and fluid plumbing.

Skills

Hands-on troubleshooting support

Electrical cabinet builds

Detailed manufacturing planning

Ability to thrive in ambiguity

Excellent communication skills

PLC programming

Knowledge of NFPA codes

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or technology field

Tools

EPlan CAD

Siemens TIA Portal

Job description

Automation & Controls Specialist (Starship)

Cape Canaveral, FL

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 & CONTROLS SPECIALIST (STARSHIP)

SpaceX's Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket (collectively referred to as Starship) represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Starship will be the world's most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry in excess of 100 metric tons to Earth orbit.

The Launch Hardware Automation & Controls Specialist role will be hands‑on in designing and activating the systems that build and launch Starship. The successful applicant will work as part of a team of elite engineers designing and improving the electrical and control systems across our rocket launch facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide innovative solutions to special requirements and challenges faced by the team, which can range from integrating specialized equipment to challenging operating environment, packaging or loading.
• Execute the integration and activation testing of new equipment.
• Manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, pneumatic, and fluid plumbing.
• Experience with authoring detailed manufacturing planning work orders.
• Provide hands‑on troubleshooting support for a variety of active and critical ground support equipment tooling.
• Write robust and scalable procedures to activate technicians to quickly and reliably build and commission control systems.
• Lay out new industrial electrical control panels that are NFPA79/NEC/UL508A compliant and create electrical, pneumatic, and fluid schematics.
• Participate in the design and development of new and existing control systems critical to the launch organization.
• Architect, write, and debug PLC code, emphasizing generating organized, structured, documented, maintainable, and reusable code for manufacturing applications.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalency certificate.
• 3+ years of experience in a controls technician, controls specialist, or engineering role.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or technology field.
• Occupational trade school qualification in an instrumentation or electrical‑based field.
• Knowledge of NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code), NFPA 70E (Standard for Electrical Safety), NFPA 79 & UL508A codes.
• Excellent communication skills—both written and verbal.
• Ability to thrive in ambiguity, independently drive project progress, and manage multiple priorities.
• Proven ability to author detailed manufacturing planning work orders in strict compliance with guidelines and procedures.
• Fundamental understanding of engineering principles behind electronic equipment, instrumentation, and commonly used industrial equipment.
• Experience designing and installing instrumentation and control systems in hazardous areas (NFPA 70 Section 500 installations); Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 environments or IEC equivalence.
• Electrical schematic CAD experience using EPlan.
• PLC programming experience, preferably Siemens TIA Portal.
• First‑hand experience with programming and software development.
• Experience with industrial bus protocols such as Modbus, Profinet and EtherNet/IP.
• Process integration and electromechanical/mechatronic systems experience.
• Able to collaborate with a wide range of people and effectively work in a team in a high‑pressure, dynamic environment.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be willing to work weekends and night shifts as needed.
• Must be willing to travel to other launch sites in support of operational activities and launches; travel requirement is up to 15%.
• Ability to pass Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral.
• Lifting, standing, climbing, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, and carrying are generally required to perform the functions of this position.
• 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 [e-mail]