Automation & Controls Engineer

About the Role

This role owns the controls that build Starship. You will design, commission, and operate the automation behind production systems. This team owns the controls scope end to end, from a blank cabinet and P&ID to a plant that stays up. The work involves specifying instrumentation, programming PLCs, pulling in data, commissioning equipment, and supporting it in production. You will troubleshoot and resolve issues in production systems.

This position is based in Cape Canaveral, FL.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and commission the controls for a 24-lane Gigabay: production tooling, lifts, fixtures, factory services, and the data layer.
• Bring industrial air separation units online and keep them running, owning instrumentation, interlocks, and control narratives for compression, cold box, distillation, storage, and transfer.
• Own controls for heat shield tile manufacturing: thermal process equipment, material handling, inspection, and the data that ties process settings to tile quality.
• Stand up new equipment from first power-on through rate production, then own uptime once it is live.
• Develop and upgrade data acquisition and control systems as the factory, air separation plant, and tile line change.
• Maintain the operational capability of control-voltage (<60V) electrical systems once activated.
• Turn sensor and PLC data into actionable information for operators and engineers.
• Support controls technicians and mechanical, facilities, and process engineers.
• Design hardware and work methods to cut cost, install time, and recovery time for down lines.
• Analyze data to judge the health of electrical and process systems and drive improvements.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Bachelor's degree in physics, electrical engineering, or computer engineering.
• 6+ months of experience working with data acquisition systems (internship or project experience qualifies).
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, commission, and troubleshoot industrial control and data acquisition hardware.
• Hands-on PLC and industrial network experience: Modbus, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, or equivalent.
• Experience commissioning process or factory equipment and supporting it after it is in production.
• Working knowledge of instrumentation in classified and cryogenic service (NFPA 70, NFPA 70E; Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, or IEC equivalent).
• Fundamental understanding of plant equipment: sensors, valves, drives, analyzers, power distribution, grounding, and signal integrity.
• Familiarity with mixed-signal electronics, schematic capture, and PCB design, verification, or validation.
• First-hand programming experience beyond ladder: ability to move data out of a controller and into factory tools.
• Knowledge of high-reliability build, test, and documentation practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Strong work ethic, bias for finishing, and ability to change roles quickly in a high-paced environment.
• Ability to drive work with incomplete information and manage multiple systems simultaneously.
• Passion for making flight-rate hardware.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to pass an Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral.
• Ability to perform job duties requiring standing, kneeling, crouching, twisting, and working in cramped positions.
• Ability to climb stairs and ladders regularly.
• Ability to lift lightweight supplies or materials (up to 25 lb unassisted).
• Available to work extended hours and weekends.
• Work performed around fumes, odors, flashing lights, heat, cold, and noise.
• Ability to travel to other SpaceX or third-party facilities (up to 25%).

ITAR Requirements

• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful, permanent resident (green card holder), Refugee, or Asylee, or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.