---
title: 'Recovery Engineer (Starship Range Ops) at SpaceX'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/recovery-engineer-starship-range-ops-spacex-starbase-pqtk5mr78xxs'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-03'
---

# Recovery Engineer (Starship Range Ops) at SpaceX

- **Company:** SpaceX
- **Location:** Starbase, TX
- **Posted:** 2026-10-28
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-03
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/spacex/jobs/8922378002?gh_jid=8922378002

## 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.

## RECOVERY ENGINEER (STARSHIP RANGE OPS)

As a Recovery Operations Engineer, you will focus on range management and mission readiness for vehicle recovery. In this role, you will develop new standard operating procedures for vehicle recovery and processing, build partnerships with airspace and maritime regulatory agencies to ensure clear communication, write test plans and procedures to improve recovery efficiency for future missions, and take full ownership to recover Super Heavy boosters and Starships safely and successfully.

## RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Perform 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, meteorological, and air assets, including mechanical, electrical, or control systems
- Provide on-console engineering support during launch and major ground test and launch 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
- Use AI tools to develop and deploy program and process efficiencies for the team
- Serve as a recovery and range controller for launch and re-entry operations

## BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, naval, marine, electrical, operations, or systems engineering
- 1+ years of experience building, maintaining, and modifying mechanical or electrical hardware

## PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

- Ability to read, understand, and apply technical drawings, data reports, mechanical schematics, electrical schematics, and design specifications
- 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
- Experience with launch, aviation, or maritime operational environment
- 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
- Ability to pass an Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral
- Hardware is typically built in tight quarters and physical dexterity is required
- Willing to work with hazardous materials
- Ability to perform job duties that require standing, kneeling, crouching, twisting upper body, working in cramped positions in small openings, climbing hand over hand, and lifting 25 lbs.
- Willing to work in extreme outdoor environments – heat, cold, rain, wind, open ocean
- Hours vary depending on site operational needs; flexibility required
- Must be willing to travel
- Ability to operate heavy machinery
- Ability to pass offshore physical fitness testing if required
- Position is subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol testing

## 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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