Water Treatment Technician, UPW & Wastewater (Starlink)

SpaceX•Bastrop, TX

30d•Onsite

About The Position

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. WATER TREATMENT TECHNICIAN, UPW & WASTEWATER (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. We are looking for talented, creative, and driven technicians to drive manufacturing output and yield. You will have ownership of one or more process areas and will have the opportunity to directly impact Starlink’s products. You will have frequent interaction with engineering teams and leadership and will participate in developing and validating new equipment, processes, and technologies. The success of Starlink depends on the quality, reliability, cost, manufacturability, throughput, security, and user experience of the products that you will manufacture. As a Water Treatment Technician on Starlink, you will take ownership of state-of-the-art production processes and equipment performance and reliability by monitoring process parameters and maintaining components, with a keen eye for leading indicators of instability or malfunction, and a drive to correct those issues in advance of undesirable events. This position is responsible for the development, implementation, and operationalization of equipment, facilities, treatment and manufacturing process technologies necessary for high volume production. This role will focus on our two ZLD (zero liquid discharge) water treatment facilities, one supporting our PCB operations (largest printed circuit fab in North America!) and the other our Chip Packaging Plant (featuring a state of the art panel level packaging process). You will ensure reliable water quality for our partner teams, in a fast-paced, innovative manufacturing environment.

Requirements

High school degree or equivalency certificate
2+ years of experience working in a hands-on technical position OR an associate’s degree in a STEM field

Nice To Haves

Proficiently use a computer and MS Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
3+ years of hands on experience in UPW production and/or industrial wastewater treatment (semiconductor, pharma, or electronics manufacturing ideal)
Experience in a chemical manufacturing or oil/gas industry
Strong knowledge of water chemistry, ion exchange, RO/EDI systems, and wastewater technologies
Proficiency with water quality instrumentation and basic PLC troubleshooting
Experience working in a manufacturing environment or wet lab
Experience with process parameters and engineering units for temperature, pressure, flow, and power
Ability to read and understand P&ID and schematic wiring diagrams
Experience with mechanical equipment and systems requiring the isolation of the malfunction, disassembly of industrial machinery and repair/replacement of bearings, gears, structural components
Experience with lock out tag out, job hazard analysis, hot work permitting
Experience handling flammable, toxic, corrosive, or hazardous chemicals
Experience using production and inventory management software such as MES/ERP
Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills to work closely with other technicians and cross-functional teams
Ability to identify and maintain priorities for tasks and projects while staying organized
Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while working independently in a high-paced, challenging work environment with minimal oversight
Current or past certification for IPC-A-600, IPC-6012 or equivalent

Responsibilities

Operate and monitor UPW (ultrapure water) systems, including reverse osmosis (RO), electrodeionization (EDI), UV disinfection, and filtration
Manage wastewater treatment processes, including pH neutralization, evaporators (multiple-effect vacuum and MVR units), clarification/precipitation and solids dewatering, AOP (advanced oxidation processes), crystallizers, and a variety of other processes (TMF, UF, etc.)
Perform routine preventative maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting on pumps, valves, sensors, membranes, and control systems
Conduct daily water quality sampling, analysis (e.g., TOC, silica, metals, conductivity), and data logging using tools like Hach analyzers or similar
Respond to alarms, investigate excursions, and implement corrective actions to minimize downtime (target: >99.9% system availability)
Collaborate with manufacturing, EHS, and engineering teams to optimize water usage, reduce waste, and implement sustainability initiatives
Ensure adherence to OSHA, EPA, and SpaceX safety protocols, including lockout/tagout (LOTO) and chemical handling
Execute startup and shutdown procedures for production equipment
Identify equipment and process deviations and perform corrective actions
Work with engineers and technicians to create operating procedures
Use knowledge of systems and existing documentation like schematics and parts lists to create and maintain a mature and efficient hardware inventory system – including procurement of critical spares
Identify continuous improvement opportunities for uptime and quality
Safely handle chemicals (including transporting and loading) and chemical handling equipment
Read, interpret, and follow technical documents such as manufacturing work instructions
Ensure 5S standards are upheld by maintaining a clean and organized work area
Perform other related duties, as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring an efficient and effective work environment