Data Engineer (Starship)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Starbase (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP (SpaceX) is seeking a Data Engineer to enhance the Starship Supply Chain team. The role involves ownership over automations and data pipelines to support SpaceX’s mission of enhancing human life on Mars.

The ideal candidate will have a background in computer science or equivalent experience, and be proficient in data engineering principles. This position requires onsite work at Starbase, Texas, and is not remote.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, engineering, or related fields, or equivalent professional experience.
• 1+ years of experience in data engineering, full stack development, or software engineering.

Responsibilities

• Own automations, applications, and data pipelines.
• Collaborate with software teams for project requirements and implementation.
• Develop and improve key process indicators and operational metrics.

Skills

Data engineering

SQL proficiency

Python programming

Data pipelines and ETL

Data analysis

Machine learning libraries

Data visualization tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field

Tools

Airflow

Git

Power BI

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.

DATA ENGINEER (STARSHIP)

The Starship Supply Chain team is building the machine that builds the machine. We are engineering a supply chain to feed Starfactory and support thousands of Starship launches per year. Our team spans planning, procurement, supplier development, quality, material flow, and inventory. At the heart of this effort is the Data and Operations Engineering team. We build data pipelines, improve processes, and develop tools and automation that inform, accelerate, and focus the organization. Aerospace experience is not required to succeed here. Instead, we look for smart, motivated, and collaborative engineers who love solving problems and want to make a meaningful impact on an inspiring mission. You will own challenging problems end‑to‑end, working alongside a team of enthusiastic engineers to design and deliver solutions that help SpaceX move toward its goals at a rapid pace.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Be the extreme owner of automations, applications, and data pipelines
• Own projects throughout their entire lifecycle: problem identification, solution ideation, architecting, implementation, adoption, monitoring, and iteration
• Query, clean, and transform data to inform and focus all levels of supply chain—from individual contributors to senior executives.
• Collaborate with central software teams on a shared vision for the software ecosystem, project requirements, roadmaps, and implementation details.
• Develop, standardize, and continuously improve key process indicators and other operational metrics

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, engineering, math, physics, or scientific discipline; OR 2+ years of professional experience building software or data pipelines in lieu of a degree
• 1+ years of experience doing data engineering, data science, full stack development, or software engineering via project team, research, internships, and/or professional experience

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience managing UNIX-like operating systems via the command line
• Strong proficiency with SQL and experience designing and querying relational databases
• Experience building and maintaining data pipelines and ETL processes
• Experience with data orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Prefect, or dbt)
• Programming experience in Python, C#, or similar languages
• Experience with data analysis and machine learning libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, and PyTorch
• Experience with data visualization and business intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI, Grafana, Metabase, or Tableau)
• Experience developing web apps, dashboards, or self‑service platforms for non‑technical stakeholders
• Experience with version control (Git), CI/CD, testing, and monitoring
• Strong understanding of data quality, statistical analysis, and data visualization best practices

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to meet major milestones
• Must be able to travel—up to 10% work week travel may be required to other sites
• This position is based in Starbase, TX and requires being onsite—remote work not considered
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (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].