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.
LEAD ENGINEER, DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS (STARLINK) - BASTROP
SpaceX is leveraging its experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system — thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together.
Development Operations in Bastrop is the shop that turns engineering intent into hardware: fixtures, tooling, CNC, weld, modular automation cells, and the mechanical catalog that factory and test programs pull from. We are looking for a Lead Engineer to own that engineering stack — design, DFM, and the engineers who run it — so programs hit schedule without a hero on every job.
This role encompasses design, analysis, and manufacturing. You will spearhead large-scope projects from early design trades through fab and handoff. You will define processes, drive requirements, and set the design bar (GD&T, NX, fixtures that the mill can actually cut). You partner with Development Supervisors who own technician people ops.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead the Development Operations engineering team (Build Engineers and design/DFM ICs): hire, coach, set goals, and raise the bar on quality, throughput, and schedule
- Own design for manufacturability from concept through fab: original CAD, GD&T, design reviews, and design changes that reduce cost, complexity, and cycle time
- Own fixtures, tooling, workholding, and mechanical catalog items (cells, conveyors, buffers, stands) from raw material through handoff to the customer program
- Act as technical decision maker for the shop engineering stack — what we make, how we make it, and when we push a design back to the RE
- Partner with Development Supervisors on intake, queue, and expedite
- Partner with CNC programmers, machinists, welders, ACE specialists, and inventory
- Drive NCR, root cause, and corrective action on non-conforming product (tooling, cells, fixtures, piece parts)
- Create and maintain build documentation: procedures, MBOMs, integration instructions, and planning that technicians and vendors can execute
- Interface with supply chain and vendors so piece parts and sub-assemblies hit rate
- Present look-ahead with a recommendation (options, capacity, risk)
- Support Development Test with fixtures and fab
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or other engineering discipline
- 2+ year leading a product development, manufacturing engineering, or project team
- 3+ years of hands-on design, analysis, build, and/or manufacturing of mechanical or electromechanical hardware
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- 2+ years of experience with CAD (NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent)
- Demonstrated full-cycle ownership of a hardware project from concept through fab and handoff
- Design for manufacturability (DFM/DFA) with design teams — including pushing back on over-constrained CAD
- GD&T you can inspect
- Fixtures, tooling, weldments, or modular automation / material-handling equipment
- CNC, conventional machining, or weld/fab process
- FEA / first-principles structures calcs on tooling and stands
- NX and Teamcenter (or equivalent PLM)
- DFMEA / PFMEA
- Vendor fab, NCR, and cross-functional schedule pressure with incomplete requirements
- Strong desire to mentor engineers
- High-mix development shop
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Hands-on: time on the floor with hardware, not only in CAD
- Willing to work weekends and extended hours as needed for program milestones
- Occasional travel to other SpaceX sites
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 to [email protected].
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or another engineering discipline
- At least 2 years leading a product development, manufacturing engineering, or project team
- At least 3 years of hands-on design, analysis, building, or manufacturing of mechanical or electromechanical hardware
- At least 2 years of CAD experience using NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent
- Full-cycle ownership of a hardware project from concept through fabrication and handoff
- Design for manufacturability and design for assembly experience
- GD&T inspection experience
- Experience with fixtures, tooling, weldments, modular automation, or material-handling equipment
- CNC, conventional machining, or welding and fabrication process experience
- FEA or first-principles structural calculations experience
- Experience with NX and Teamcenter or equivalent PLM
- DFMEA and PFMEA experience
- Vendor fabrication, NCR, and cross-functional schedule management experience
- Willingness to work weekends and extended hours for program milestones
- Occasional travel to other SpaceX sites
- ITAR eligibility as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or applicant eligible to obtain required authorizations
SpaceX Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about SpaceX and has not been reviewed or approved by SpaceX.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity grants are a core part of total compensation, with periodic company-run tender offers that create liquidity before any public listing. These mechanisms can make the equity component feel materially valuable in practice.
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Healthcare Strength — The package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with on-site clinics and health resources at major sites. This breadth of coverage is presented as a strong element of the offering.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Major locations feature on-site amenities such as fitness facilities, food/coffee, clinics, and other conveniences. These lifestyle perks enhance day-to-day value alongside cash and equity.
SpaceX Insights
What We Do
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space transportation, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary. SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company ever to return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, which it first accomplished in December 2010. The company made history again in May 2012 when its Dragon spacecraft attached to the International Space Station, exchanged cargo payloads, and returned safely to Earth — a technically challenging feat previously accomplished only by governments. Since then Dragon has delivered cargo to and from the space station multiple times, providing regular cargo resupply missions for NASA.
