Process Engineer, Machinery & Automation

About the role

Join the team managing the in-house glue factory responsible for producing thermal protection, adhesives, and paints for Starship. You will oversee the entire lifecycle of production equipment, from initial design and procurement to factory installation and scaling for high-rate manufacturing.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Design, install, and commission systems for powder handling, industrial mixing, and liquid dispensing.
• Manage powder equipment including hoppers, feeders, dust collection, and pneumatic conveying.
• Oversee blending and mixing hardware such as high-shear, planetary, and vacuum reactors.
• Integrate sensors, PLCs, and HMI systems to automate production cells and minimize manual intervention.
• Create custom tooling and fixtures using CAD, managing the process from fabrication to production release.
• Lead capital projects including vendor selection, Statements of Work, and Factory Acceptance Testing.
• Perform root cause analysis and implement statistical process control to optimize throughput and quality.
• Train production technicians and document standard operating procedures for new equipment.
• Collaborate with quality and materials teams to ensure formulations meet flight requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree in mechanical, chemical, materials, or manufacturing engineering.
• Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience with industrial mixing, powder handling, or liquid dispensing equipment.
• Ability to wear an air respirator and work with hazardous materials, reactive chemistries, and solvents.
• Capacity to work extended hours, weekends, and travel as needed for vendor buyoffs.
• Ability to lift 25 lbs and perform physical tasks like climbing or bending in a factory setting.
• Must meet ITAR requirements (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or protected individual).

Nice to have

• Experience with silicone RTVs, ablatives, or thermal protection materials.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software like SolidWorks, NX, or Inventor.
• Familiarity with Six Sigma methodologies and statistical tools like JMP or Minitab.
• Background in scaling processes from pilot phases to high-volume production.
• Knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and lean manufacturing principles.

Skills & tools

• Powder systems: loss-in-weight feeders, weigh/batch systems.
• Mixers: high-shear, planetary, dual-asymmetric, ribbon, paddle, vacuum.
• Liquid automation: meter-mix-dispense platforms, pumps, valves, manifolds.
• Automation: PLC, HMI, SCADA, sensors, motion control, interlocks.
• Design: GD&T, tooling design, CAD.

Practical notes

• Salary range: Level 1 ($100,000 - $130,000) or Level 2 ($115,000 - $160,000) based on experience.
• Benefits include company stock, potential bonuses, medical/dental/vision coverage, 401(k), paid parental leave, and 3 weeks of vacation.
• This is a strictly onsite position; remote work is not available.
• Applicants must pass background checks and site clearance requirements.