Senior Process Engineer: Automation & Scale-Up

United States Digital Space LLC; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision & dental coverage

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Holiday pay

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking a Process Engineer for Starship Materials Production to own equipment from design to ramp. Responsibilities cover powder systems, mixers, liquid dispensing, and tooling integration to maximize unattended operation.

The role requires 5+ years in powder handling and related equipment, with a strong background in automation and manufacturing for high-rate production. Onsite work in Hawthorne, CA is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials engineering, manufacturing engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience with powder handling/dispensing, industrial mixers, liquid dispensing, or related equipment.

Responsibilities

• Design, specify, procure, install, and commission powder handling/dispensing systems, industrial mixers, and liquid dispensing equipment for paints, adhesives, ablatives, sealants, fillers, and other formulated materials
• Own powder equipment including hoppers, feeders (screw, vibratory, loss-in-weight), weigh/batch systems, dust collection, pneumatic conveying, and powder-to-liquid incorporation
• Own mixers and blending equipment including agitation, vacuum/degassing, temperature control, seals, cleanability, and integration with upstream feed and downstream dispense/packaging
• Own liquid dispensing systems including pumps, meters, valves, manifolds, tanks, pressure/vacuum and temperature control, and multi-component meter-mix-dispense platforms
• Automate production cells with sensors, motion, recipe/batch control, interlocks, data logging, and PLC/HMI/SCADA integration
• Design custom tooling and fixtures for automation from CAD through fabrication, tryout, and production release
• Lead capital equipment projects cradle-to-grave: vendor selection, design reviews, SOWs, procurement, FAT/SAT, installation, and ramp
• Travel to vendors to execute FATs, validate rate/accuracy/repeatability/cleanability/safety, and drive design corrections before shipment
• Productionize equipment and processes for NPIs, including work instructions, control plans, and rate capability demonstration
• Partner with materials, quality, production, and design to ensure formulations are mixable and meet flight quality requirements
• Drive DOE and SPC on mix/dispense performance; continuous improvement for throughput, changeover, dust control, and cost
• Develop and maintain process specs, SOPs, and equipment documentation; train technicians for reliable cells
• Support hazardous materials handling, containment, and EHS requirements for solvent-based, reactive, and powder chemistries

Skills

Powder handling

Dispensing systems

Industrial mixers

Automation PLC

DOE

SPC

Tooling design

DFM

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

Inventor

PLC/HMI

SCADA

3D CAD

Job description

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking a Process Engineer for Starship Materials Production to own equipment from design to ramp. Responsibilities cover powder systems, mixers, liquid dispensing, and tooling integration to maximize unattended operation.

The role requires 5+ years in powder handling and related equipment, with a strong background in automation and manufacturing for high-rate production. Onsite work in Hawthorne, CA is expected.