Operations Engineer, Starbase Infrastructure

United States Digital Space LLC; Starbase (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking an Operations Engineer for Starbase Infrastructure in Starbase, TX. You will standardize how infrastructure shops plan, execute, and close work orders; drive improvements across Warp/Foundation, LOTO, MOC, and commissioning turnover; translate design packages into actionable floor instructions.

You will own the work-management system, provide visibility on estimates and remaining hours, and ensure operational readiness for new equipment, while working

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• 1+ years of professional experience in industrial plant, central plant, utilities, facilities, power generation, process operations, or maintenance engineering.
• 2+ years in a process plant, municipal or industrial utility, semiconductor or data-center facilities, shipyard, or similar 24/7 plant.
• Hands-on work management: Warp, Foundation, Maximo, SAP PM, or equivalent CMMS; you can write and close a work order to support an initiative.
• Experience reading P&IDs, electrical one-lines, and OEM manuals, and writing a procedure a technician can follow on night shift.
• Experience commissioning or standing up operational-readiness of new equipment (punch list through first PMs and spare setup).
• Working knowledge of LOTO, MOC, confined space, and energized / pressurized systems.
• Familiarity with at least two of: medium-voltage or industrial electrical; HVAC / BMS; industrial gas or compressed air; water / wastewater; rotating equipment.
• Practical use of SQL, Power BI, scripting, or AI to remove clerk work from WOs, PMs, and reports, with judgment for when the right answer is a technician skill.
• Experience overseeing contractors and vendors on a live industrial site.
• Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, engineers, and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Standardize how work is requested, planned, executed, and closed across all infrastructure shops.
• Adopt company and site standards (Warp, Foundation, LOTO, MOC, commissioning turnover) and pull in processes where they fit.
• Choose the fix: software / AI / data, a physical or tooling change, or a personnel skill and behavior standard.
• Define and improve the work-management system: Warp / Foundation work orders, PM and PdM backlog, kitting, closeout.
• Give shops visibility they can staff against: time estimates vs actuals, remaining hours, and blocked jobs.
• Own commissioning and operational-readiness for new or modified systems: punch lists, first PMs, spare setup, turnover to operations.
• Translate design packages into isolation plans, LOTO, work instructions, and hold points the floor can execute.
• Stand up asset identity for equipment that is still informal: what it is, what feeds it, what PM it gets, where the WO lives.
• Put numbers on the shops: availability, PM compliance, WO aging, estimate accuracy, contractor vs in-house mix.
• Write the procedures the shops actually use and teach leads and technicians the standard.

Job description

OPERATIONS ENGINEER, STARBASE INFRASTRUCTURE

the company 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 the company is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal ofenabling human life on Mars.

Starbase infrastructure — site power, HVAC, facilities, production fluids, industrial gas, water, and wastewater — is run by technician shops. This Operations Engineer standardizes how those shops plan, execute, and close work so the site runs as one operating system. Match existing the company / site standards where they work; write a unique process only when the circumstances require it, and say why. When something is broken or slow, pick the lever: a tool (including software and AI), a physical change, or a people standard. Warp work orders, PMs, punch lists, and labor hours should mean the same thing in every shop. You write WOs for the initiatives you own; supervisors and leads own the daily flow.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Standardize how work is requested, planned, executed, and closed across all infrastructure shops. One WO / PM / estimate / closeout standard, with documented exceptions where a system (MV electrical, TCEQ water, cryogenic gas, etc.) requires them
• Adopt company and site standards (Warp, Foundation, LOTO, MOC, commissioning turnover) and pull in processes from other the company plants where they fit
• Choose the fix: software / AI / data, a physical or tooling change, or a personnel skill and behavior standard. Be explicit which lever you are using and why it is the right one for that problem
• Define and improve the work-management system: Warp / Foundation work orders, PM and PdM backlog, kitting, as-found / as-left closeout, critical spares. Write WOs to support the initiatives you are driving; supervisors and engineering own daily WO writing and planning releases
• Give shops visibility they can staff against: time estimates vs actuals, remaining hours, and which jobs are blocking a customer
• Own commissioning and operational-readiness for new or modified systems: punch lists, first PMs, mBOM / spare setup, procedures, and trained turnover to operations
• Translate design packages (one-lines, P&IDs, vendor submittals, construction RFPs) into isolation plans, LOTO, work instructions, and hold points the floor can execute
• Stand up asset identity for equipment that is still informal: what it is, what feeds it, what PM it gets, where the WO lives
• Put numbers on the shops: availability, PM compliance, WO aging, estimate accuracy, contractor vs in-house mix; brief supervisors and site leadership
• Write the procedures the shops actually use and teach leads and technicians the standard — you succeed when the shop runs it without you in the room, including the cases that stay unique on purpose

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
• 1+ years of professional experience in industrial plant, central plant, utilities, facilities, power generation, process operations, or maintenance engineering

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 2+ years in a process plant, municipal or industrial utility, semiconductor or data-center facilities, shipyard, or similar 24/7 plant
• Hands-on work management: Warp, Foundation, Maximo, SAP PM, or equivalent CMMS; you can write and close a work order to support an initiative
• Experience reading P&IDs, electrical one-lines, and OEM manuals, and writing a procedure a technician can follow on night shift
• Experience commissioning or standing up operational-readiness of new equipment (punch list through first PMs and spare setup)
• Working knowledge of LOTO, MOC, confined space, and energized / pressurized systems
• Familiarity with at least two of: medium-voltage or industrial electrical; HVAC / BMS; industrial gas or compressed air; water / wastewater; rotating equipment
• TCEQ public water / wastewater or similar permitted-plant exposure
• Practical use of SQL, Power BI, scripting, or AI to remove clerk work from WOs, PMs, and reports, with judgment for when the right answer is a technician skill
• Experience overseeing contractors and vendors on a live industrial site
• Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, engineers, and leadership
• Internships, clubs, or other hands-on extra-curricular activities qualify

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to work extended hours, weekends, and offsite as needed
• Must be able to work in extreme outdoor environments when needed — heat, cold, wind, rain
• Must be able to lift 25 lbs. unassisted, climb ladders, and walk the plants and shops you support
• This position is based in Starbase, TX (Brownsville / Boca Chica) and requires being onsite – remote work not considered
• Must be willing to travel to other the company sites when needed (up to 15%)

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.

the company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with the company 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 the company’s Affianative ActionPlan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out [e-mail]*.*