---
title: 'Operations Engineer, Starbase Infrastructure at SpaceX'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/operations-engineer-starbase-infrastructure-spacex-starbase-pkwq3f814t9q'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Operations Engineer, Starbase Infrastructure at SpaceX

- **Company:** SpaceX
- **Location:** Starbase, TX
- **Posted:** 2026-09-03
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/spacex/jobs/8780717002?gh_jid=8780717002

## 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.

## OPERATIONS ENGINEER, STARBASE INFRASTRUCTURE

Starbase infrastructure — site power, HVAC, facilities, production fluids, industrial gas, water, and wastewater — is run by technician shops. This Operations Engineer standardizes how those shops plan, execute, and close work so the site runs as one operating system. Match existing SpaceX / site standards where they work; write a unique process only when the circumstances require it, and say why. When something is broken or slow, pick the lever: a tool (including software and AI), a physical change, or a people standard. Warp work orders, PMs, punch lists, and labor hours should mean the same thing in every shop. You write WOs for the initiatives you own; supervisors and leads own the daily flow.

## RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Standardize how work is requested, planned, executed, and closed across all infrastructure shops. One WO / PM / estimate / closeout standard, with documented exceptions where a system (MV electrical, TCEQ water, cryogenic gas, etc.) requires them
- Adopt company and site standards (Warp, Foundation, LOTO, MOC, commissioning turnover) and pull in processes from other SpaceX plants where they fit
- Choose the fix: software / AI / data, a physical or tooling change, or a personnel skill and behavior standard. Be explicit which lever you are using and why it is the right one for that problem
- Define and improve the work-management system: Warp / Foundation work orders, PM and PdM backlog, kitting, as-found / as-left closeout, critical spares. Write WOs to support the initiatives you are driving; supervisors and engineering own daily WO writing and planning releases
- Give shops visibility they can staff against: time estimates vs actuals, remaining hours, and which jobs are blocking a customer
- Own commissioning and operational-readiness for new or modified systems: punch lists, first PMs, mBOM / spare setup, procedures, and trained turnover to operations
- Translate design packages (one-lines, P&IDs, vendor submittals, construction RFPs) into isolation plans, LOTO, work instructions, and hold points the floor can execute
- Stand up asset identity for equipment that is still informal: what it is, what feeds it, what PM it gets, where the WO lives
- Put numbers on the shops: availability, PM compliance, WO aging, estimate accuracy, contractor vs in-house mix; brief supervisors and site leadership
- Write the procedures the shops actually use and teach leads and technicians the standard — you succeed when the shop runs it without you in the room, including the cases that stay unique on purpose

## BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
- 1+ years of professional experience in industrial plant, central plant, utilities, facilities, power generation, process operations, or maintenance engineering

## PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

- 2+ years in a process plant, municipal or industrial utility, semiconductor or data-center facilities, shipyard, or similar 24/7 plant
- Hands-on work management: Warp, Foundation, Maximo, SAP PM, or equivalent CMMS; you can write and close a work order to support an initiative
- Experience reading P&IDs, electrical one-lines, and OEM manuals, and writing a procedure a technician can follow on night shift
- Experience commissioning or standing up operational-readiness of new equipment (punch list through first PMs and spare setup)
- Working knowledge of LOTO, MOC, confined space, and energized / pressurized systems
- Familiarity with at least two of: medium-voltage or industrial electrical; HVAC / BMS; industrial gas or compressed air; water / wastewater; rotating equipment
- TCEQ public water / wastewater or similar permitted-plant exposure
- Practical use of SQL, Power BI, scripting, or AI to remove clerk work from WOs, PMs, and reports, with judgment for when the right answer is a technician skill
- Experience overseeing contractors and vendors on a live industrial site
- Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, engineers, and leadership
- Internships, clubs, or other hands-on extra-curricular activities qualify

## ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

- Ability to work extended hours, weekends, and offsite as needed
- Must be able to work in extreme outdoor environments when needed — heat, cold, wind, rain
- Must be able to lift 25 lbs. unassisted, climb ladders, and walk the plants and shops you support
- This position is based in Starbase, TX (Brownsville / Boca Chica) and requires being onsite – remote work not considered
- Must be willing to travel to other SpaceX sites when needed (up to 15%)

## 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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