Fluid Systems Engineer, Solar Cell Factory (Starlink)

SpaceX; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Fluid Systems Engineer for the Solar Cell Factory in Bastrop, TX. You will design, build, and optimize fluid delivery for gases, chemicals, and exhaust in solar cell manufacturing, supporting high‑volume production with emphasis on safety and reliability.

You will own cradle‑to‑grave projects, perform risk assessments, and work with process, facilities, and EHS teams to ensure compliant, scalable systems while minimizing risk and maximizing efficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelors in an engineering discipline required.
• Hands-on build or design experience with fluids systems preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and activate fluid systems for gases and chemicals used in solar cell fabrication.
• Own projects from requirements to commissioning and handoff.
• Collaborate with process and facilities teams to optimize delivery rates and purity.

Skills

Fluid systems design

Hazardous materials handling

P&ID development

Data acquisition & control

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical/chemical/aerospace engineering

Tools

ANSYS Fluent

Pipe-Flo

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

Job description

Fluid Systems Engineer, Solar Cell Factory (Starlink)

Bastrop, TX

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.

The Solar Cell team is revolutionizing power generation for space applications through advanced solar cell manufacturing. We're scaling production of high-efficiency solar cells to support sustainable energy solutions for Starlink constellations, launch vehicles, and beyond. As a Solar Cell Factory Fluids Engineer, you will design, build, and optimize fluid systems for the delivery of critical gases and chemicals in solar cell fabrication. This role requires a detail-oriented engineer passionate about safe handling of hazardous materials in a high-volume manufacturing environment, ensuring reliable supply to processes like vacuum deposition and etching while minimizing risks and maximizing efficiency in our cutting‑edge solar cell factory.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, build, and activate fluids systems for the distribution of key gases (e.g. specialty and bulk gases), chemicals (e.g., hydrofluoric acid, solvents) and exhaust systems used in solar cell processes, including tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, gas panels, valves, scrubbers, and abatement systems
• Cradle-to-grave project ownership including requirement definition, design, justification of key decisions, equipment procurement, build coordination, commissioning and project management throughout
• Design modular systems capable of being manufactured at scale for future solar production facilities
• Apply fluids/mechanical engineering skills such as P&ID development, equipment sizing, detailed fluid and thermal analysis, system-level CONOP development, structural analysis, materials and component selection.
• Perform safety/hazard assessments (ex. FMEAs, HAZOPs) to ensure appropriate hazardous system design, including emergency shutdown CONOPs, redundancy, and general compliance with hazardous material safety standards
• Design, build, and deploy data acquisition and control systems for fluid facilities control and monitoring
• Collaborate with process engineers to integrate fluid systems with manufacturing equipment and optimize delivery rates, purity levels, and recovery/recycling of process fluids to support high‑yield production
• Support installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting of fluid systems, working closely with facilities operations, EHS, automation, and procurement teams to resolve issues and implement improvements
• Ensure regulatory compliance with OSHA, EPA, ASME, NFPA, and SEMI standards for chemical and gas handling in semiconductor‑like environments
• Track system performance metrics (e.g., flow rates, contamination levels, downtime) and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, such as lean manufacturing and sustainability efforts for fluid reuse

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, or other engineering discipline
• 1+ years of hands‑on build or design experience (internship, club, and competition team experience qualifies)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Advanced degree in engineering or related field
• 2+ years of experience in fluid systems design, particularly with gases or hazardous chemicals in manufacturing or semiconductor industries
• 2+ years of experience in photovoltaic, semiconductor, or thin‑film deposition manufacturing
• Knowledge of safety protocols for handling pyrophoric materials (e.g., silane) and toxic gases/chemicals (e.g., phosphine, HF)
• Knowledge of ASME B31.3, SEMI S2/S8 standards and experience with cleanroom HVAC integration for fluid systems
• Familiarity with cleanroom fluid systems, gas cabinets, scrubbers, and wastewater neutralization for solar cell fabrication
• Familiarity with air separation units (ASUs) for gaseous nitrogen production.
• Certification in process safety (e.g., CSP, Six Sigma Green Belt) or hazardous materials handling
• Proficiency in fluid dynamics software (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, Pipe‑Flo) and CAD tools (e.g., AutoCAD, SolidWorks) for system modeling and diagramming
• Experience with process safety management, including risk assessment and regulatory compliance
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, iterative environment and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and communicate effectively
• Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while maintaining a high sense of urgency in a demanding work environment
• Creativity to imagine and design for reliability, efficiency, and maintainability from scratch

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to travel frequently for work, potentially for extended periods of time during machine buyoffs and startup
• Ability to lift 25 lbs. unassisted
• Lifting, standing, climbing, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, and carrying are generally required to perform the functions of this position
• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed to support critical milestones
• 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 Affi… or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [e-mail].

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in SpaceX’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.