Senior Automation & Controls Engineer - Starship Launch

SpaceX; Florida; On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX recruiting a Sr. Automation & Controls Engineer for Starship to design and implement control systems across the launch facility at Cape Canaveral. The role involves hands-on PLC programming, HMI/SCADA development, and panel design for high‑reliability ground support equipment.

The successful candidate will work within a fast-paced, collaborative team, contributing to maintenance, testing, and upgrades of electrical and control systems used in Starship production and launch activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechatronics engineering, or other engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience with instrumentation power systems design, data acquisition systems, or programmable controllers.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the design and development of control systems critical to the launch organization.
• Architect, write, and debug PLC code with organized, maintainable, and reusable structure.
• Design and implement controls network infrastructure and interfaces to data acquisition systems.
• Design, operate, upgrade, and maintain SCADA infrastructure at launch and production sites.
• Layout NFPA79/NEC/UL508A compliant electrical control panels and create schematics.
• Manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, pneumatic and fluid plumbing.
• Manage checkouts and activation testing of new equipment.
• Write robust procedures to activate technicians for building and activating control systems.
• Provide hands-on troubleshooting support for ground support equipment tooling.
• Offer innovative solutions to special requirements and challenges, including integration of equipment.

Skills

Instrumentation power systems design

Data acquisition systems

Programmable controllers (PLC)

Electrical codes (NEC/NFPA79/UL508A)

Siemens TIA Portal

HMI/SCADA (Ignition)

Electrical schematic CAD (EPlan)

C#, .NET, Python, SQL

Team collaboration under pressure

Travel up to 15%

Education

Electrical engineering degree

Tools

EPlan

Ignition

Siemens TIA Portal

SCADA tooling

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 ofenabling human life on Mars.

SR. AUTOMATION & CONTROLS ENGINEER (STARSHIP)

SpaceX's Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket (collectively referred to as Starship) represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship will be the world's most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry in excess of 100 metric tons to Earth orbit.The launch hardware Automation & Controls Engineer role will be hands-on in designing and activating the systems that build and launch Starship. The successful applicant will work as part of a team of elite engineers designing and improving the electrical, and control systems across our rocket launch facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in the design and development of new and existing control systems critical to the launch organization


• Architect, write, and debug PLC code, emphasizing generating organized, structured, documented, maintainable, and reusable code for manufacturing applications


• Design and implement the controls network infrastructure and interfaces to data acquisition systems trading cost, complexity and redundancy


• Design, operate, upgrade, and maintain SCADA infrastructure at launch and production sites


• Lay out new industrial electrical control panels that are NFPA79/NEC/UL508A compliant and create electrical, pneumatic, and fluid schematics


• Manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, pneumatic and fluid plumbing


• Manage the checkouts and activation testing of new equipment


• Write robust and scalable procedures to activate technicians to quickly and reliably build and activate new control systems


• Provide hands on troubleshooting support for a variety of active and critical ground support equipment tooling


• Provide innovative solutions to special requirements and challenges faced by the team, which can range from integrating specialized equipment to challenging operating environment, packaging or loading

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechatronics engineering, or other engineering discipline


• 5+ years of experience with instrumentation power systems design, data acquisition systems, or programable controllers (internship/project experience qualifies)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Proficiency or direct hands-on experience in one or more of the following: electronics test rack design and build, data acquisition setup and field measurements, build of electronics systems or test systems for local assembly or industrial applications


• Exposure to a wide variety of production machinery, industrial sensors, and equipment (vision systems, dispense systems, temperature controllers, laser distance sensors, Nut-Runners, etc)


• Hands-on experience building and commissioning high quality electrical control panels and electro-mechanical systems


• Electrical schematic CAD experience using EPlan


• C#, .NET, python and/or SQL experience


• PLC programming experience, preferably Siemens TIA Portal


• HMI and SCADA programming experience, preferably with Ignition software


• Knowledge of NEC, NFPA 79, UL508A codes


• Able to collaborate with a wide range of people and effectively work in a team in a high-pressure, dynamic environment


• Able to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to pass Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral


• Must be willing to work weekends and night shifts as needed; flexibility required


• Must be willing to travel to other launch sites in support of operational activities and launches; travel requirement is up to 15%


• Lifting, standing, climbing, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, and carrying are generally required to perform the functions of this position

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 [e-mail].