{"id":3417650,"url":"https://alion.io/job/spacex-sr-process-controls-engineer-solar-cell-factory-starlink-2","title":"Sr. Process Controls Engineer, Solar Cell Factory (Starlink)","company":{"id":66,"name":"SpaceX","domain":"spacex.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/spacex","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":94,"open_postings":56,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.054,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":85,"computed_at":"2026-11-06T05:58:05Z"}},"role":"Energy","role_family":"Energy","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Bastrop, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":117000,"max_usd":212000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":148},"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"EtherCAT","optional":true},{"name":"MQTT","optional":true},{"name":"OPC UA","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-28T17:29:03Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-28","last_verified_at":"2026-11-06T07:36:34Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":8,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":8},"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.\nSR. PROCESS CONTROLS ENGINEER, SOLAR CELL FACTORY (STARLINK)\nThe Solar Cell team is revolutionizing power generation for space applications through advanced solar cell manufacturing. We're scaling production of high-efficiency solar cells to support sustainable energy solutions for Starlink constellations, launch vehicles, and beyond. As a Sr. Process Controls Engineer, you will design, build, and optimize controls and automation systems for the delivery of critical gases and chemicals in solar cell fabrication. This role requires a detail-oriented engineer passionate about safe handling of hazardous materials in a high-volume manufacturing environment, ensuring reliable control code and safe instrumentation and design of processes like vacuum deposition and etching while minimizing risks and maximizing efficiency in our cutting-edge solar cell factory.\nRESPONSIBILITIES: \nDesign, implement, and maintain automation systems including PLC programming and SCADA development for gas farm operations (e.g., vaporizers, storage, and transfer systems) and wastewater treatment processes (e.g., solids separation, clarification, and chemical dosing) to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant performance\nDevelop and program PLC control logic, PID loops, and interlocks for centralized control of distributed subsystems, optimizing for real-time monitoring of parameters such as pressure, temperature, flow, pH, and effluent quality\nSelect, calibrate, and integrate field instrumentation (e.g., transmitters, sensors, analyzers) in hazardous environments, ensuring compatibility with safety standards like SIL, ATEX, and EPA/NPDES regulations\nLead commissioning, FAT/SAT testing, and troubleshooting of control systems, performing root-cause analysis to minimize downtime and support 24/7 operations with rapid alarm response\nDesign electrical systems compliant to NEC, NFPA, & UL508A regulations\nBASIC QUALIFICATIONS: \nBachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or chemical discipline \n5+ years of experience with fluids/systems manufacturing, controls and automation, and/or programming \nPREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: \nExcited by a quick and iterative design and manufacturing role\nProven ability to solve complex problems with simple solutions in both design and implementation stages\nExcellent communication skills both written and verbal, with the ability to make plans and directional recommendations collaboratively and cross-functionally\nAbility to engineer creative, new approaches to problems while adhering to ANSI/RIA15.06/OSHA safety requirements to keep a factory safe \nHazardous process expertise in an aerospace, oil and gas, or chemical industry where high pressure or hazardous systems for fluids or gasses were in use\nExperience with at least one of the specific disciplines listed below. The ideal candidate is interested in learning at least the fundamentals of the other areas they are not yet strong in. \nElectrical/Industrial Controls: \nElectrical sizing of motors, valves, pneumatics, cables, circuit protection, VFDs, motor starters, various other motion systems \nDesign of fail-safe electrical circuits using both safety logic controllers and safety-rated relays \nHands-on experience troubleshooting industrial electrical systems using tools like multimeters, oscilloscopes, EMI probes\nProficiency in understanding and creating electrical schematics and single line diagrams (EPLAN preferred)\nField bus networks, serial communication, Profinet and Ethernet communications\nHands-on experience designing and commissioning high quality electrical panels and electro-mechanical systems with appropriate safety considerations in mind\nKnowledge of NEC, NFPA, UL508A codes with ability to ensure compliance with control system safety standards \nIndustrial Software: \nPLC programming, preferably Siemens TIA Portal structured text + ladder\nHMI, SCADA, IoT (MQTT, OPC-UA), ignition systems with focus on user friendly navigation and machine health monitoring and control \nField Bus Networking protocols, preferably EtherCAT, Profinet, Profisafe, Ethernet/IP \nRobotics programming, preferably ABB\nIndustrial software application to mechanical assemblies, electrical systems, sensors, pneumatics/hydraulics, including how to safely checkout these interdisciplinary systems prior to production implementation \nADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: \nAbility to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones \nITAR REQUIREMENTS:\nTo 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. \nSpaceX 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.\nApplicants 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 .","description_format":"text","description_chars":5742,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Solar Energy","Satellite Communications","Launch Services","Satellite Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-28T19:51:09Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":8,"expected_fill_days":85,"reasons":["conf:2","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-06T05:58:05Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/spacex-sr-process-controls-engineer-solar-cell-factory-starlink-2","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/spacex-sr-process-controls-engineer-solar-cell-factory-starlink-2.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-06T09:00:33Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":16237,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-07T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":66},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=66"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fspacex-sr-process-controls-engineer-solar-cell-factory-starlink-2"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fspacex-sr-process-controls-engineer-solar-cell-factory-starlink-2"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fspacex-sr-process-controls-engineer-solar-cell-factory-starlink-2"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/spacex-sr-process-controls-engineer-solar-cell-factory-starlink-2\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fspacex-sr-process-controls-engineer-solar-cell-factory-starlink-2"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3417650}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"spacex.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3417650},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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