Fluids Engineer (Starship)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; United States; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP is hiring a Fluids Engineer in the United States to develop fluid systems for the Starship production line. The role involves designing, building, and deploying both automated and manual systems to ensure high-performance vehicle testing.

Qualified candidates will have a bachelor’s in engineering and hands-on project experience, with preferred skills including experience in aerospace and mechanical processes. Join SpaceX to help pave the way for human life on Mars.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, or another technical discipline.
• Hands‑on project experience with mechanical and electrical systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and deploy automated/manual fluids systems for vehicle performance testing.
• Own integration and validation of test systems at production cells.
• Support critical vehicle test campaigns with troubleshooting and technical support.

Skills

Mechanical and electrical systems experience

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, manufacturing, or mechanical engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Teamcenter CAD

Job description

Fluids Engineer (Starship)

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is actively 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.

Starship is the largest and most capable space launch system ever developed. With the capability to deliver in excess of 100 metric tons to Earth’s orbit, it will fundamentally change access to space, and is the technology that will be used to establish a self‑sustaining city on Mars.

The production fluids team develops (1) machinery used for flight‑like validation of all vehicles prior to flight, and (2) all gas generation farms to produce and distribute manufacturing and test gasses throughout the production site. We are looking for enthusiastic and creative individuals to pave the future of Starship production testing & automation. As a Fluids Engineer, you will be responsible for developing systems from the ground up using multidisciplinary skills: taking a problem, breaking it down to its core fundamentals, and designing, building, and deploying a solution in the form of a production‑grade automated fluids system.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and deploy automated/manual fluids systems to support high‑rate production vehicle performance validation testing.
• Design, build, and deploy simple data acquisition and control systems for control and monitoring.
• Own full integration, validation, and handoff to production of each test system at each deployed production cell.
• Perform detailed fluids analysis to characterize and troubleshoot expected design performance.
• Work closely with our in‑house build shop to develop and own the scaling of the manufacturing line for your system.
• Support critical vehicle test campaigns & operations, provide troubleshooting and technical support.
• Develop and maintain detailed timelines to capture and communicate project progress.
• Make high‑value decisions on the fly, use feedback to continuously iterate and develop both product and process.
• Develop build, maintenance, and upgrade plans for new and existing equipment to maximize uptime.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, or another technical discipline.
• Hands‑on project experience with mechanical and electrical systems.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 2+ years of manufacturing design experience.
• 2+ years of professional experience in aerospace, mechanical, or process engineering.
• 2+ years of experience with GD&T concepts.
• 2+ years of experience with industrial waste, wastewater, or chemical processing.
• 2+ years of experience with oil and gas operations or processing.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Experience with mechanical design, including basic structures calculations and design considerations.
• Experience with Siemens NX and Teamcenter CAD.
• Experience with fluid system design, build, and test.
• Hands‑on experience building and commissioning high‑quality electrical control panels.
• Experience in fast‑paced iterative design and manufacturing environments.
• Experience solving complex problems with little to no supervision on schedule as an individual or as part of an integrated team.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to perform job duties that require standing, kneeling, crouching, twisting upper body, working in cramped positions in small openings, and climbing hand over hand.
• Typically exposed to work in outdoor environments – heat, cold, rain.
• Schedule varies depending on site operational needs; must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as business needs require.
• Flexibility to travel to other SpaceX sites.
• Stand: up to 3 hours per day.
• Sit: up to 6 hours per day.
• Push/Pull: up to 50 lbs. (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 25 lbs. (unassisted) up to 15 minutes per day.
• Climb (ladder/stairs): up to 1 hour per day.
• 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 500 ft), in confined spaces, using an air‑purifying respirator, and performing the physical requirements of the job listed.
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations (ITAR), applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

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, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.