Recovery Operations Engineer (Starship)

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.

RECOVERY OPERATIONS ENGINEER (STARSHIP)

As a Recovery Operations Engineer you will be focused on range management and vehicle recovery mission readiness. In this role, you will lead a team supporting offshore operations to troubleshoot, plan repairs, inform hardware improvements, improve maintenance, and verify mission readiness of mission specific recovery ground support equipment. You will be responsible for developing novel standard operating procedures for vehicle recovery and processing, cultivating partnerships with airspace and maritime regulatory agencies to ensure high-level communication, writing test plans and procedures to improve recovery efficiency for future missions, and taking extreme ownership to successfully recover and safe Super Heavy boosters and Starships. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support operational engineering duties for SpaceX’s Starship Range and Recovery efforts
• Lead a team of engineers and technicians performing offshore Starship Recovery operations
• Perform troubleshooting, upgrades, and system maintenance on hardware deployed on terrestrial, maritime, and air assets including mechanical, electrical, or control systems
• Provide on-console engineering support during launch and major ground test operations
• Identify areas of operational improvement, and work with design teams to develop and implement innovative new solutions to the range and recovery efforts
• Develop work instructions to support ongoing operations, maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and vendor contracts
• Provide critical program information and interface with external parties/programs (FAA, USCG, etc.) to ensure compliance and alignment with the Starship program goals
• Serve as the final authority to ensure all operations are conducted in a safe manner
• Perform other related duties, as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring an efficient and effective work environment

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, naval, marine, electrical or systems engineering
• 1+ years of experience building, maintaining, and modifying mechanical or electrical hardware; or 1+ years of experience of managing compliance or contracts in the aerospace/marine field

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• High levels of personal autonomy and self-driven motivation
• Ability to thrive in ambiguous requirements and aggressive timelines
• Experience troubleshooting and maintaining mechanical/electrical systems and associated control hardware
• Experience operating, troubleshooting, and maintaining large complex mechanical or electrical systems
• Testing experience including setting test objectives, writing test plans, and executing hands-on testing
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a team environment, accomplishing tasks with limited resources at a rapid pace
• Demonstrated history of working efficiently with hazardous systems (high pressure, high voltage, cryogenic, toxic, flammable, hypergolic, pyrophoric)
• Demonstrated experience of effective root cause and failure analysis
• Ability to read, understand and apply technical drawings, data reports, mechanical schematics, electrical schematics, and design specifications
• Experience working and building hardware in an offshore and/or marine environment
• Experience interfacing with government and regulatory bodies
• Experience in drafting and reviewing legal agreements and processes
• Experience operating and troubleshooting remote-operated ground control systems
• Experience with critical operations where real-time decision-making affected success criteria
• Able to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment including daily interactions with technicians, engineers, and managers
• Able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment
• Self-motivated and directed with keen attention to detail
• Ongoing drive for continuous improvement in all aspects of work
• Detail oriented, organized, and demonstrate a high sense of urgency

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to support offshore operations and willing to work offshore for extended duration without access to emergency services normally available on shore
• Ability to climb ladders, work at height, and work in tight/confined spaces
• Hardware is typically built in tight quarters and physical dex