Critical Lift & Transport Engineer (Starship)

Job Application for Critical Lift & Transport Engineer (Starship) at SpaceX Critical Lift & Transport Engineer (Starship) Starbase, TX Apply 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. CRITICAL LIFT & TRANSPORT ENGINEER (STARSHIP) SpaceX is currently seeking an individual to join the launch site engineering team in Starbase, TX. As a member of this team, you will have the opportunity to utilize your multi-disciplinary knowledge, experience, and creativity to develop solutions to launch pad operations, ground support equipment, transportation, and production with the goal of maximizing efficiency without sacrificing safety or reliability. Specifically, you will be responsible for ensuring all aspects of critical transport and lift operations for our Starship and Super Heavy booster vehicles, as well as ground support equipment, have been properly designed, reviewed, and carried out. You will be responsible for addressing complex structural, civil, and mechanical issues that arise and utilizing engineering intuition as well as thorough calculation to provide engineering disposition for the path forward. RESPONSIBILITIES: Plan, analyze, and execute critical lifts and heavy-haul transports for large-scale hardware (e.g., rocket stages, ground support equipment, or structural components), ensuring compliance with safety standards, regulations (e.g., OSHA, ASME B30), and engineering best practices. Develop critical lift plans, rigging designs, and transport configurations using tools like AutoCAD, finite element analysis (FEA), and center-of-gravity calculations. Coordinate with cross-functional teams (e.g., vehicle structures, manufacturing, launch ops, logistics) to assess hardware mass properties, rigging/lashing connection locations, structural capability, stability, and load paths during lifts and transports. Select and specify equipment such as mobile/crawler cranes, self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs), conventional hydraulic trailers, and rigging hardware; perform equipment inspections and capacity verifications. Conduct risk assessments, hazard analyses, and fatigue/stress analyses for lifts exceeding standard capacities. Oversee on-site operations, including pre-lift dry runs, real-time monitoring, and post-operation debriefs. Interface with external vendors for specialized equipment rentals and oversee contracted operations involving cranes, rigging, hydraulic trailers, and marine transport. Maintain documentation, including engineering calculations, drawings, and reports for regulatory audits and lessons learned. Support off-hour operations as needed, including real-time troubleshooting and issue resolution during high-stakes/first-time lifts or transports. Drive continuous improvement and development in lift/transport processes, such as adopting new technologies. Represent SpaceX by presenting certification packages and engineering data to US government agencies, including NASA, US Space Force, and others. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline. 2+ years of hands-on experience working with mechanical and structural hardware. PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: 1+ years of experience with crane lifting, rigging, or transport operations. Experience prioritizing and executing tasks in high-pressure, fast-paced industrial environments while operating with or around hazardous systems (high pressure, high energy, hazardous gases & fluids, etc.). Experience using SOLIDWORKS, Siemens NX, or similar CAD software. Proficiency in engineering analysis software (e.g. ANSYS, FEMAP or similar finite element analysis software) for static/dynamic load modeling. Strong understanding of mechanics, including statics, dynamics, materials science, and failure modes. Familiarity with relevant lifting standards and regulations. Expertise in specialized equipment like crawler cranes, all-terrain cranes, SPMTs, jacks, and gantries. Experience reviewing data from anomalies and identifying root cause. Professional certifications such as crane operator + rigger (NCCCO + NCCER) or Professional Engineer (PE) license. Ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure, fast paced environment. Knowledge of SpaceX-specific or similar hardware (e.g., Falcon/Starship transport logistics). Strong communication skills for presenting complex plans to leadership and training junior staff. Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline or related advanced training. Strong work ethic and drive to for constant improvement balanced with the ability to work effectively in a team environment. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Must be willing to work weekends and night shifts as needed. Must be willing to travel to other launch sites in support of operational activities and launches; travel requirement is up to 25%. Lifting, standing, climbing, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, and carrying are generally required to perform the functions of this position. 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 . 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 [email protected] . Create a Job Alert Interested in building your career at SpaceX? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email. Create alert Apply for this job * indicates a required field Autofill with MyGreenhouse First Name * Last Name * Preferred First Name Email * Phone Country * Phone * Location (City) * Locate me Resume/CV * Attach Attach Enter manually Enter manually Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf Education School * Select... Degree * Select... Discipline Select... Add another LinkedIn Profile Portfolio or Cover Letter Attach Attach Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf How did you hear about this job? * Select... If event or other, please specify below. Please specify GPA (Undergraduate) * Select... Please convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale. Select "Not applicable/Do not recall" if you do not have or do not remember your undergraduate GPA. GPA (Graduate) * Select... Please convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale. Select "Not applicable/Do not recall" if you do not have or do not remember your graduate GPA. GPA (Doctorate) * Select... Please convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale. Select "Not applicable/Do not recall" if you do not have or do not remember your doctorate GPA. SAT Score * Select... ACT Score * Select... GRE Score * Select... Active Security Clearance(s) * Select... SpaceX Employment History * Select... Can you perform all of the essential functions of this role with or without reasonable accommodations? * Select... Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? * Select... Citizenship Status * Select... To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here . If (f) Other, please explain: Voluntary Self-Identification For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file. As set forth in SpaceX’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law. Gender Select... Are you Hispanic/Latino? Select... Race & Ethnicity Definitions If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows: A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability. A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service. An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense. An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985. Veteran Status Select... Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305 Page 1 of 1 OMB Control Number 1250-0005 Expires 04/30/2026 Why are you being asked to complete this form? We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years. Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp . How do you know if you have a disability? A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to: Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally) Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS Blind or low vision Cancer (past or present) Cardiovascular or heart disease Celiac disease Cerebral palsy Deaf or serious difficulty hearing Diabetes Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders Epilepsy or other seizure disorder Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome Intellectual or developmental disability Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD Missing limbs or partially missing limbs Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities Partial or complete paralysis (any cause) Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema Short stature (dwarfism) Traumatic brain injury Disability Status Select... PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete. Submit application Powered by Greenhouse