---
title: 'Automation & Controls Engineer, Insource Manufacturing (Starlink) at SpaceX'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/automation-controls-engineer-insource-manufacturing-starlink-spacex-bastrop-4ddnzg59f3ve'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Automation & Controls Engineer, Insource Manufacturing (Starlink) at SpaceX

- **Company:** SpaceX
- **Location:** Bastrop, TX
- **Posted:** 2026-06-30
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/spacex/jobs/8612924002?gh_jid=8612924002

## 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 of enabling human life on Mars.

AUTOMATION AND CONTROLS ENGINEER, INSOURCE MANUFACTURING (STARLINK)

SpaceX is developing a low latency, broadband internet system to meet the needs of consumers across the globe. Enabled by a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites, Starlink will provide fast, reliable internet to populations with little or no connectivity, including those in rural communities and places where existing services are too expensive or unreliable.

As a member of the Materials Engineering group, you will develop and implement technologies to support high-volume production, rapid product iteration, and new capabilities at SpaceX. You will work with multiple manufacturing disciplines, including injection molding, high pressure die casting, stamping, and mold manufacturing. A strong focus on safety is required, ensuring that all technologies and processes meet the highest safety standards. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design engineering, manufacturing, and operations. Having an open mindset, challenging requirements, and using engineering fundamentals are essential in this role.

## RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Design, develop, and manage automation projects
- Manage specifications, cost, lead-time, installation, and commissioning of new equipment
- Own safety strategy and planning. Implement ANSI/RIA15.06/OSHA compliant systems
- Collaborate with and challenge mechanical designers and manufacturing engineers to create system requirements and architecture
- Create and maintain equipment documentation and drawings to enable hand-off to operational teams
- Debug, root-cause, and make continuous improvements of equipment in a high-rate production environment
- Architect, write, and debug PLC code with an emphasis on generating code that is organized, structured, documented, maintainable, and reusable for high-volume manufacturing applications
- Generate aesthetically simple HMI screens to make complex machines easy to understand, operate, and troubleshoot
- Design electrical systems compliant to NEC, NFPA, & UL508A regulations
- Manage electrical cabinet builds, field wiring, pneumatic and fluid plumbing

## BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
- 1+ years of experience in the design and commissioning of controls systems for industrial applications

## PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

- Process integration and electromechanical/mechatronic systems experience
- Robot programming experience, preferably ABB
- C#, .NET, python and/or SQL experience
- PLC programming experience, preferably Beckhoff TwinCAT or Siemens TIA Portal
- HMI and SCADA programming experience, preferably Ignition or Beckhoff TwinCAT HMI
- Field bus networks, serial communication and Ethernet communication
- Knowledge of NEC, UL508A codes
- Experience with 3D CAD, preferably Siemens NX
- Exposure to a wide variety of industrial machinery
- Experience in fast-paced iterative design and test environments
- Experience automating the aggregation of metrics into dashboards and alerting systems
- Experience with developing and deploying tools used for data analysis
- Industrial software application to mechanical assemblies, electrical systems, sensors, pneumatics/hydraulics, including how to safely checkout these interdisciplinary systems prior to production implementation
- Electrical schematic CAD experience using EPlan
- Electrical sizing of motors, cables, circuit protection, VFDs, motor starters, and other motion systems
- Hands-on experience building and commissioning high quality electrical control panels and electro-mechanical systems

## ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

- Must be willing to travel up to 10%
- Standing/walking for long periods of time
- Must be willing to work long hours and weekends as necessary to accommodate manufacturing and test campaigns

## 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](https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/?id=ddtc_kb_article_page&sys_id=24d528fddbfc930044f9ff621f961987).

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 EEOCompliance@spacex.com.

## About SpaceX

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft while building a global satellite broadband network and AI infrastructure to enable interplanetary life.
- **Entity Type**: Public (Nasdaq: SPCX) – IPO priced at $135/share on June 12, 2026
- **Headquarters**: Starbase, Texas (primary); Hawthorne, California (historical headquarters)
- **Founded**: 2002
- **Founders**: Elon Musk

## Core Business
- **Industries**: Aerospace & Defense, Spaceflight, Satellite Telecommunications, Artificial Intelligence
- **Target Customers**: Government (NASA, U.S. Armed Forces, international agencies), Commercial satellite operators, Broadband consumers (Starlink), Defense/intelligence (Starshield)
- **Mission**: To make humanity multiplanetary by building the integrated hardware and software infrastructure of the future across space, connectivity, and AI.

## Products & Services
- **Falcon 9**: Reusable two-stage rocket – the world’s most launched orbital rocket, with over 630 successful first-stage reflights.
- **Falcon Heavy**: Heavy-lift launch vehicle composed of three Falcon 9 cores; capable of lifting nearly 64 metric tons to orbit.
- **Starship**: Fully reusable super-heavy launch vehicle and spacecraft (largest ever built) designed for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
- **Dragon 2**: Crew and cargo spacecraft used for NASA Commercial Crew and private missions to the ISS and beyond.
- **Starlink**: Low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation providing high-speed, low-latency broadband internet to over 10.3 million people globally.
- **Starshield**: Military-grade satellite services for national security and defense customers.
- **SpaceXAI**: Division focused on AI compute infrastructure, frontier models, and real-time data processing (including AI compute satellites).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Conflicting reports – Internal share offer in 2025 valued SpaceX at **$800 billion**; IPO pricing (June 2026) implied a market capitalization of approximately **$75 billion** for the shares offered.
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of **$15.0 billion** (2025); total funding raised **$15.2 billion** across 56 rounds.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Google (led $1B Series G), Intesa Sanpaolo, NASA, U.S. Space Force, and numerous institutional investors.
- **Growth Signals**: Employee headcount of **11,387** (monthly growth +2.5%); **1,671 active job postings**; Falcon 9 launch cadence of 1–3 per week; Starlink subscriber base covering ~10.3 million people; recent acquisition of xAI (February 2026).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Full reusability**: Only company with a fleet of reusable orbital rockets (Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy), dramatically lowering per-launch cost.
- **Vertical integration**: Designs, manufactures, and operates its own rockets, spacecraft, satellite constellation, and AI platform – enabling rapid iteration and cost control.
- **Scale and reliability**: More orbital launches per year than any other provider (public or private); proven track record with NASA and DoD.
- **First-mover in commercial spaceflight**: Established crew transport, satellite internet, and now AI compute in orbit.

## Strategic Focus
- **Starship development**: Complete testing and operational deployment of the fully reusable Starship system for lunar (Artemis) and Mars missions.
- **Starlink expansion**: Grow subscriber base, launch V3 satellites, and extend mobile and direct-to-cell services.
- **AI integration**: Leverage SpaceXAI for on-orbit compute and real-time data analytics; build AI compute satellites.
- **Interplanetary infrastructure**: Develop technologies for sustained human presence on the Moon and Mars.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Employees directly contribute to making life multiplanetary – “hard work and innovative solutions result in big gains.”
- **Impactful projects**: Work on reusable rockets, crewed spacecraft, global broadband, and AI systems that are actively changing the space industry.
- **Compensation**: Competitive salaries, comprehensive health benefits, and equity packages.
- **Work locations**: Primary campuses in Hawthorne, CA and Starbase, TX (with additional sites in Cape Canaveral, FL and Vandenberg, CA). Roles span engineering, software, manufacturing, and support.
- **Engineering culture**: Merit-based, fast-paced, with high ownership; top talent sourced from Tesla, Boeing, NASA JPL, and other aerospace leaders.
- **Open roles**: Over 1,600 active positions across software, AI, avionics, propulsion, supply chain, and more – including internships.

## Sources
1. [SpaceX Careers Page](https://www.spacex.com/careers)
2. [LinkedIn – SpaceX Company Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spacex)
3. [SpaceX IPO Factsheet (PDF)](https://content.spacex.com/cms-assets/FINAL_Documents%20and%20Updates/SpaceX%20IPO_Factsheet.pdf)
4. [SpaceX IPO Pricing Press Release](https://ir.spacex.com/updates/releases-details/2026/Space-Exploration-Technologies-Corp--Announces-Pricing-of-Initial-Public-Offering/default.aspx)
5. [SpaceX Jobs Board (Greenhouse)](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/spacex)

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