Sr. Operations Engineer, Launch Strategy (Falcon)

SpaceX•Long Beach, CA

1d•$155,000 - $215,000

About The Position

SpaceX is seeking a Senior Operations Engineer to help lead and guide the Launch organization and its partners by formalizing future launch plans, defining operational targets, and helping teams execute. The role combines operational analysis, industrial and process engineering, and business intelligence—including data engineering, visualization, and analysis—to influence decisions in a fast-paced environment. The engineer will support Launch manifest management and alignment across core stakeholders, including recovery, pads, vehicle maintenance and operations, production, test, and support teams. Analytics, process engineering, and cross-functional coordination are used to make the plan executable and achieve Launch goals. The role also involves regular field time at pads, recovery operations, and the production floor, as well as travel to various SpaceX sites as business needs require.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or mathematics.
At least 2 years of experience as an operations, process, or manufacturing engineer, or in a production or launch environment.
At least 2 years of experience using data for analysis or modeling in Power BI, Python, or R.
Willingness to travel to Vandenberg, Starbase, Hawthorne, and other sites in support of business needs, up to 20%.
Ability to pass an Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg.
Willingness to work extended hours, nights, and weekends when the manifest requires it.
Willingness to spend time regularly in the field at pads, recovery operations, and the production floor.
Must meet U.S. export-control eligibility requirements: be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting a production, fleet, or launch manifest, including change control and cross-team schedule integration.
Project management experience defining, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing work.
Ability to shift priorities quickly in a fast-changing environment.
Clear communication across disciplines and management levels, including giving and receiving feedback; curiosity and a bias toward building strong working relationships.
Experience applying lean and quality tools, including process mapping, value-stream mapping, Six Sigma, Kaizen, root-cause analysis, and corrective action.
Experience with production-systems analysis, planning, integrated process scheduling, and asset allocation.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including developing options, cost-benefit cases, and clear recommendations for peers and leadership.

Responsibilities

Support Launch manifest planning and change management; maintain a current launch plan, assess the effects of changes, and recommend decisions to keep the manifest achievable.
Provide daily visibility, weekly status, and monthly reviews of manifest and operations performance, identifying risks and required schedule changes.
Translate the manifest into capacity, schedule, and resource demand for pads, recovery, vehicle maintenance and operations, production, and test; work with teams to close gaps before they cause launch slips.
Create feedback loops from manifest execution into requirements for minimal viable products and future proven-system designs.
Develop a deep understanding of the launch ecosystem, including teams, hardware, production floor, environment, processes, systems, tools, and constraints, and turn that understanding into quantified, executable improvements.
Integrate, organize, standardize, and relate operational data; produce insights, reports, and alerts that support manifest and operational decisions.
Develop and track key performance metrics, identify decision points, and recommend actions to optimize production and engineering against the manifest and launch targets.
Interpret trends and operating metrics, brief leadership, set or adjust launch strategy and targets, and work with teams to act on the findings.
Provide day-to-day tactical recommendations on scheduling and execution in support of the manifest.
Identify, develop, and implement process improvements; conduct process engineering, value-stream mapping, and automation, and roll out best practices to internal and external stakeholders in priority order.
Solve engineering problems related to safety, reliability, and rate when those constraints limit the manifest.
Partner with finance and Launch teams to build and execute the annual operating plan, evaluate capital-expenditure return on investment, and identify and capture operating-expense reductions tied to manifest requirements.
Standardize labor-analysis assumptions, methods, and tools; support Launch teams with headcount planning, efficiency roadmaps, and demand forecasting against the manifest.

Benefits

Potential long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards.
Potential discretionary bonuses.
Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
Comprehensive medical coverage.
Vision coverage.
Dental coverage.
401(k) retirement plan.
Short- and long-term disability insurance.
Life insurance.
Paid parental leave.
Various other discounts and perks.
Potential accrual of 3 weeks of paid vacation.
10 or more paid holidays per year.
Paid sick leave pursuant to company policy.