Build Specialist (Starship)

Latent AI; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Build Specialist to join our elite team at Starbase, Wisconsin. This role involves collaborating with leadership to drive engineering standards and streamline the manufacturing flow. Candidates must possess experience in a manufacturing environment and have the ability to solve complex problems.

Applicants should have a high school diploma or equivalent, with a preference for those holding degrees in engineering, math, or science. Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a team are essential.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and 2+ years of professional experience in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
• Associate or Bachelor's degree in engineering, math, or science is preferred.
• Experience in a manufacturing and process planning role is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with production leadership to drive engineering standards.
• Create and manage tools for communication and tracking progress.
• Support development for new assembly designs and identify tooling needs.

Skills

Hands-on manufacturing experience

Problem-solving

Effective communication

Team collaboration

Data analysis (Excel, VBA, SQL)

Education

High school diploma or equivalent, or Bachelor's degree in engineering, math, or science

Tools

Siemens NX (UG)

Teamcenter CAD

Job description

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.

BUILD SPECIALIST

Our elite Starbase team is working on the toughest and most audacious project on our planet: making humanity multi-planetary. This challenge isn’t for everyone – the working conditions can be hard on a desolate beach at the southernmost tip of the state – but hardcore projects require hardcore people. If you want to immerse yourself in never-before-solved challenges and are excited to put in the effort to make this goal a reality, we want to hear from you.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborate and work with the production leadership team by driving engineering standards for excellence in the builds (quality, build improvements, order of operations, etc.)
• Interface with engineers and technicians to advance and streamline manufacturing flow; eliminate unnecessary scope, downtime, and blockers
• Create and manage tools to communicate schedule; identify critical path/dependencies, and track progress, build over build
• Review and triage work order feedback; work with process planning to drive necessary incorporation on in-process work orders and next engineering master’s revisions
• Support the first build process development for new and changing assembly designs that can include process and equipment design, physical operations, and development builds
• Identify the need for shop aids and tooling that will increase work center productivity
• Identify and implement shop floor layout improvements as well as storage and organizational improvements
• Routinely broadcast status, milestones, and roadmap of projects to stakeholders
• Resolve manufacturing issues, disposition nonconforming parts, modify bills of materials, perform root cause analysis, and implement robust corrective actions
• Implement standard practices, troubleshooting guides, and standard repair procedures
• Evaluate proposed designs and planning for manufacturability and integration by collaborating with build, design, and build reliability engineers
• Provide recommendations for tooling design and improvement based on analysis and data
• Design tooling for new and existing products to support rate production
• Create high-quality work orders, engineering masters, and other manufacturing resource planning
• Streamline existing production builds to minimize cost while improving quality and efficiency
• Manage resources, plan, and interface with other production groups including external vendors, manufacturing engineers, and technicians

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalency certificate and 2+ years of professional experience in a hands‑on manufacturing environment; OR Bachelor’s degree in an engineering, math, or science discipline

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Associate or bachelor's degree in an engineering, math, or science discipline
• 2+ years of experience in a manufacturing and process planning role
• Experience working effectively in a team environment
• Ability to solve complex manufacturing problems on schedule with little to no supervision as an individual or as a member of an integrated team
• Experience with written and verbal communication including experience communicating with external and internal stakeholders
• Experience troubleshooting and problem‑solving
• Understanding of spacecraft integration processes including avionics, propulsion systems, and mechanical integration
• Experience with data analysis (Excel, VBA, and/or SQL)
• Knowledge of pressure, temperature, and flow measurement devices
• Experience taking products through development cycle to full‑volume production
• Experience with design for manufacturability and assembly
• Experience with Siemens NX (UG), Teamcenter CAD, and PDM systems
• Experience with process development, facility, and line layouts
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing Tools, PFMEA, Value Chain Mapping, Kanban, OEE, and 5

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Nominal hours - 1st shift: 6 AM - 4 PM, 2nd shift: 4 PM - 6 AM
• Must be willing to work all shifts, overtime, and weekends as needed
• Must be able to lift 25 lbs. unassisted
• Must be willing to travel – up to 5%
• Ability to stand for extended periods – 8 hours minimum
• Ability to work at elevated heights (up to 200 feet)
• Ability to work in confined spaces
• Willing to work in an outdoor environment exposed to heat, cold, and rain
• Willing to work in an environment exposed to fumes, odors, and noise
• 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
• Walk: Up to 3 hours per day
• Lift/Carry: Up to 25lbs. (unassisted) Up to 15 minutes per day
• Climb (ladder/stairs): Up to 1 hour per day
• Kneel/Crouch: N/A
• Upper body twist: N/A
• Ability to work in temperatures over 80 degrees: up to 30 minutes per day
• Candidate must be capable of safely working at heights (up to 500ft), in confined spaces, using an air purifying respirator, and performing the physical requirements of the job listed in the job description. Candidate may be required to complete a pre‑employment questionnaire and/or physical to confirm these capabilities, which may include a medical history review

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 [e-mail].