At TerraFirma, we’re redefining how the world moves earth for construction. Founded by former SpaceX engineers and backed by Kleiner Perkins and Bain Capital Ventures, TerraFirma is automating construction to make it faster, cheaper, and safer.

Our Story & Mission

At SpaceX, we were part of the teams that built the largest rocket in human history, launched the largest constellation of satellites ever made, and delivered connectivity to millions of people worldwide. What we learned was simple: infrastructure is everything.

At Starbase, the biggest barrier to launching missions to Mars was not building the rocket. It was how slow, expensive, and complex it was to build the infrastructure around it. We lacked buildings, roads, water, power, communications, and waste management, and constructing them took far more time and resources than it should have.

From a first-principles perspective, that doesn't make sense. It shouldn't be this hard or costly to create the foundations for progress. That’s when we realized something important: the same engineering mindset that enabled us to tackle space exploration and mass manufacturing could be applied to infrastructure. By bringing the principles of simplification, iteration, acceleration, and automation to construction, we can unlock a new era in how the world builds.

Accelerating infrastructure unlocks progress across every domain, creating a self-sustaining engine for tackling humanity’s toughest challenges. The innovations we develop on Earth will lay the groundwork for the technologies that one day make settlement on Mars possible.

Job Overview

You will be TerraFirma's first dedicated HR hire, helping build the people function as we scale across engineering, field operations, and manufacturing. You'll utilize and improve upon what's already in place, including Rippling, while designing the systems, policies, and practices that support the company going forward all while handling the immediate, hands-on HR needs of a fast-growing company today.

Responsibilities

Take full ownership of TerraFirma's HR function, including existing infrastructure (Rippling) and the processes, policies, and practices that need to be built around it
Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations, benefits administration, and day-to-day HR support across all teams
Partner directly with leadership and hiring managers to support workforce planning, org design, and compensation structure as the company scales
Ensure compliance with employment law, safety regulations, and labor requirements across a workforce that includes both office and field/manufacturing personnel
Design and roll out performance management, career development, and employee engagement programs appropriate for a fast-scaling startup
Manage leaves of absence, workers' compensation, and other field-operations-specific HR needs unique to a hardware and construction environment
Support the recruiting team on offer structuring, compensation benchmarking, and closing candidates
Build a people-first culture that reflects TerraFirma's mission and operating standards, from the office to the job site

Basic Qualifications

3+ years of HR experience, including employee relations, compliance, and HR program ownership
Demonstrated experience building or significantly shaping HR processes and infrastructure, not just operating within an existing system
Strong understanding of employment law and HR compliance requirements in Texas
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across a workforce ranging from engineers to field operators

Preferred Skills & Experience

Experience as a founding or early HR hire at a startup or fast-growing company
Experience supporting a workforce that includes both office-based and field/manufacturing/construction personnel
Familiarity with HR needs specific to construction, manufacturing, or hardware companies (e.g., workers' comp, field safety compliance, union or apprenticeship considerations)
Hands-on experience with Rippling or a similar HRIS platform
PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SCP certification

Additional Requirements

Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving priorities
Must be willing to relocate to Austin, TX if not within commuting distance
Must be willing to work extended hours when needed to support critical hiring or employee-relations needs

About the company

TerraFirma Robotics builds a full-stack construction-automation platform for automating earthworks on large infrastructure projects. It retrofits existing heavy machinery with AI software, a remote command center, and semi-autonomous robotics, allowing operators to manage an entire fleet from screens. The system uses a human-in-the-loop approach so automation handles repetitive tasks while operators supervise, improving efficiency and safety. The goal is to raise productivity in construction, scale its platform across industries, and eventually apply the technology to space infrastructure on the Moon and Mars.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$115M

Headquarters

Buda, Texas

Founded

2023

Get referred to TerraFirma Robotics

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

Kleiner Perkins led TerraFirma’s $100 million Series A on July 14, 2026.
Buda opened TerraFirma’s 40,000-square-foot Robot Ranch, signaling manufacturing and testing scale-up.
TerraFirma already works commercial jobs in Texas, including Starbucks, a sports arena, and infrastructure.

What critics are saying

Bedrock Robotics raised $350 million by February 2026, threatening TerraFirma’s autonomy narrative.
Caterpillar and Komatsu control equipment, dealers, and warranties, squeezing retrofit startups.
Vertical integration burns capital; if projects stall, TerraFirma becomes a thin-margin subcontractor.

What makes TerraFirma Robotics unique

TerraFirma’s vertically integrated stack spans planning software, command center, and retrofitted heavy equipment.
Noah Schochet and Noah McGuinness bring SpaceX Starlink, Starship, and Starshield operating discipline.
Human-in-the-loop fleets let one operator supervise multiple machines from Texas screens.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Company Equity
Relocation Assistance

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

25%

1 year growth

25%

2 year growth

36%

Informa TechTarget

Aug 5th, 2026

6 contech startups net $234M in recent funding.

6 contech startups net $234M in recent funding. Robotics and artificial intelligence drew investors' interest in recent contech funding rounds. Published Aug. 5, 2026 Artificial intelligence has continued to capture the attention of builders across the construction spectrum, and investors are no different. Firms that offer robotics, both as a fleet and as retrofit products, along with AI products, captured new infusions of cash in recent funding rounds. Read on for six recent investments in the contech space. TerraFirma $115 million. TerraFirma, a construction robotics firm led by former SpaceX engineers, has raised $115 million, which includes $100 million from a Series A funding round led by venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, according to a July 14 announcement. The company's full-stack robotic infrastructure platform combines AI-enabled preconstruction software with a remote command-and-control center, according to the announcement. The startup's platform also includes semi-autonomous heavy machinery, spanning from excavators to dozers, loaders, rollers and skid steers. The system, per the firm, lets operators control fleets of machines from a screen. With the funding, Texas-based TerraFirma will expand its engineering, manufacturing, operations and construction teams and will continue to develop its semi-autonomous heavy equipment systems, per the news release. Arrakis $37.5 million. Arrakis, which helps industrial companies such as construction firms embed AI agents into their tech stacks, has emerged from stealth with $37.5 million in funding, according to a July 22 news release. The two funding mechanisms were a $30 million Series A funding round and a $7.5 million Seed round, led by venture capital firms Blossom Capital and Accel respectively. The company, which operates from London and Paris, combines forward-deployed AI engineers with a model-agnostic enterprise AI platform and applied AI research tuned to industrial operations such as construction, according to the announcement. This allows prospective companies to train AI agents in weeks, according to Arrakis, and deploy the agents into firms' existing systems. Arrakis will use the funds to triple its company headcount, strengthen its security and platform capabilities and fuel its expansion into the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, per the announcement. Gritt $32.4 million. Gritt, which retrofits robotic arms and AI systems onto existing equipment such as skid steers and forklifts, launched with $32.4 million in funding via pre-Seed and Series A funding rounds, according to a July 21 announcement. The Series A, worth $26 million, was led by venture capital firm Obvious Ventures. Once in place, the Belmont, California-based firm's products enable machinery to pick and place, assemble and transport materials with millimeter precision amid fluid environments, Gritt claims. With its machines on large-scale jobsites, Gritt can capture and process data in real time to aid supervisors. In addition, Gritt's system is adaptable and learns from each deployment, according to the firm, cutting task timelines from months to days. Monumental $32 million. Monumental, a hardware and software development firm that aims to address the labor shortage via robotics, has raised $32 million in a Series B funding round, according to a July 15 announcement. The round was led by venture capital firm Khosla Ventures. The firm's AI software platform, Atrium, controls its fleet of robots that act as a construction team. The machines use advanced sensors, computer vision and small cranes to accurately lay brick and mortar, according to the firm. So far, the robots have built the walls of a school, a community center, a hotel and stretches of a canal wall, along with more than 100 homes in the Netherlands and the U.K. A key facet of the Amsterdam-based company is its business proposition - customers hire the firm as an independent subcontractor, which is then paid for finished walls, per Monumental. That takes the risk of owning and running the robots out of the customer's hands.

Peerless Media LLC

Jul 27th, 2026

TerraFirma raises $115M for semi-autonomous construction robots on Earth and beyond

TerraFirma, a construction robotics company founded by former SpaceX engineers, has raised $115 million in funding. The round includes a $100 million Series A led by Kleiner Perkins, with participation from Bain Capital Ventures and others. The company develops semi-autonomous construction equipment, including excavators and dozers, that can be operated remotely. Skilled operators control multiple machines simultaneously from screens, potentially making each operator up to 300% more effective. Founded in 2024 by Noah Schochet and Noah McGuinness, TerraFirma is currently working on commercial projects including site preparation for a Starbucks in North Austin and infrastructure projects for the US government. The company aims to address labour shortages in construction whilst building technology applicable for future lunar and Martian construction projects.

Hays Free Press

Jul 22nd, 2026

Former SpaceX engineers open TerraFirma headquarters in Buda.

Former SpaceX engineers open TerraFirma headquarters in Buda. * Lance Winter * 07/22/2026 03:20 PM (update 07/22/2026 10:44 AM) BUDA - A robotics company founded by two former SpaceX engineers officially opened its new headquarters in Buda Friday, July 10, marking the latest addition to the city's growing technology and robotics sector. TerraFirma Inc. relocated from Austin to a 40,000-square-foot facility at Tower Business Park, where the company hosted a grand opening for its new "Robot Ranch." The facility will serve as the company's headquarters and house research, design and testing operations for its construction robotics technology. Founded in 2023 by Noah Schochet and Noah McGuinness, TerraFirma designs and manufactures robotics for construction applications, including excavation, site work and demolition. The company has said its long-term goal is to eventually adapt its technology for use on Mars. The move to Buda follows the city's approval in March of an incentive package valued at $412,500 to attract the company. According to city documents, TerraFirma plans to hire hundreds of employees over the next several years. "We are excited to officially welcome TerraFirma to their intergalactic headquarters, now located in Buda, Texas," said Jennifer Storm, CEO of the Buda Economic Development Corporation. "Locating in Buda will create high-quality, long-term jobs in engineering, skilled equipment operations, robotics maintenance and construction management. This move further demonstrates that Buda offers a highly skilled workforce capable of supporting advanced, high-paying technology jobs." Storm said the relocation also strengthens Buda's emerging artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics industry. "As these companies expand, they bring high-quality employment opportunities and increased disposable income, strengthening and supporting local businesses," she added. The new headquarters brings TerraFirma's operations under one roof, while providing dedicated outdoor space to test its robotic and AI-powered construction equipment. Company officials said the expanded facility will help meet growing demand and fulfill recently secured contracts. TerraFirma's technology is designed to address challenges facing the construction industry, including labor shortages, rising costs and increasing infrastructure demand, by combining robotics, software and field operations to improve productivity. Schochet said, in a news release provided by Buda EDC, that the city offers the right environment for the company's continued growth. "The region's strong workforce, proximity to major metropolitan markets and growing tech and AI community create the right environment for us to scale both our technology and our mission," he said. McGuinness added that he credits the Buda EDC with helping the company establish its new headquarters. "We are focused on building tools that remove bottlenecks in construction and ultimately, make the industry faster, safer and more cost-effective," McGuinness said. In the release, Mayor Lee Urbanovsky said the relocation aligns with the city's long-term economic development goals. "This project brings hundreds of high-tech, in-demand jobs to our community and directly supports our strategic plan. It is exactly the type of innovation-focused, high-wage employer we aim to recruit to Buda, strengthening our reputation as a location for advanced industrial and robotics-focused businesses and helping attract complementary employers and investment over time," Urbanovsky said. "This move reinforces Buda's position as an emerging hub for technology and innovation." Upload date: 07/22/2026 03:20 PM

SuperbCrew

Jul 15th, 2026

TerraFirma raises $100 million in Series A funding round.

TerraFirma raises $100 million in Series A funding round. TerraFirma, Inc., an Austin, Texas-based tech enabled construction company founded in 2024, has raised approximately $115 million in total funding, highlighted by a $100 million Series A round. TerraFirma's $100 million Series A was led by Kleiner Perkins, with participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Glade Brook Capital Partners, BANNER VC, Saga Ventures, Trust Ventures, Definition, PEAK6, Magnetar Capital, and Ravelin Capital. Angel investors include founders, executives, and engineers from SpaceX, Anduril, Base Power, Shinkei, and Hadrian. This represents a major acceleration for a company only about two years old, founded by former SpaceX engineers Noah Schochet (CEO) and Noah McGuinness (CTO), who met at Princeton and worked on programs including Starlink, Starshield, and Starship. The leadership team also includes Head of Ops Angelo Kirchon (Texas A&M, EnergyX) and others with strong technical and operational backgrounds. What is TerraFirma's technology? TerraFirma operates as a vertically integrated construction company focused initially on robotic earthworks and site operations (excavation, grading, demolition, etc.). It combines: * AI enabled pre construction planning and orchestration software. * A remote command and control center. * Retrofitted semi autonomous heavy machinery (excavators, dozers, loaders, rollers, skid steers, etc.), where skilled operators orchestrate fleets remotely rather than sitting in cabs. This "human in the loop" autonomy approach reportedly makes each operator up to 300% more effective by allowing one person to manage multiple machines, improving utilization, enabling multiple shifts, and reducing exposure to hazardous environments. The company deploys its tech on real job sites in Texas (e.g., Starbucks site in North Austin, Zachary Cole Foundation project in Taylor, and various demolition/grading jobs), serving sectors including housing, energy, transportation, manufacturing, and education. The long term vision extends beyond Earth: solving construction bottlenecks to support U.S. re-industrialization (factories, infrastructure, energy) and eventually heavy civil works for Mars settlement, leveraging synergies with SpaceX style first principles engineering. U.S. construction faces chronic productivity decline (labor productivity has fallen ~0.6% annually since 1965, while the broader economy grew ~1.6%) costing roughly $1 trillion every five years in delays and inefficiencies. Demand is surging for housing, factories, power infrastructure, and data centers amid re-industrialization and population/energy needs. TerraFirma positions itself at the intersection of construction tech (ConTech), robotics/autonomy, and infrastructure, a space with high barriers but massive TAM. By owning operations end to end (not just selling tools), it captures revenue directly from projects while iterating rapidly on real world data. How will TerraFirma use the funds? Proceeds will fund: * Expansion of engineering, manufacturing, operations, and construction teams. * Continued development and scaling of semi autonomous systems. * Broader deployment across more project types and geographies. The company aims to tackle additional construction bottlenecks (underground utilities, concrete, structural steel) after mastering earthmoving. TerraFirma differentiates through vertical integration and operational focus rather than pure software or full autonomy. It emphasizes collaboration with existing skilled labor (higher paying remote roles) over replacement, which aids adoption and talent strategy. Strong SpaceX pedigree, elite investor syndicate (Kleiner Perkins' recent AI/autonomy emphasis aligns well), and early commercial/government traction signal strong execution potential. Risks include execution on scaling hardware retrofits and software reliability in variable field conditions, regulatory/hiring challenges in construction, capital intensity of robotics, and competition from established players (e.g., Caterpillar, John Deere autonomy efforts) or other startups. Economic slowdowns could impact infrastructure spending, though tailwinds from policy and private investment (factories, energy) are currently favorable. This $100M+ Series A validates the thesis that construction is ripe for disruption akin to other physical industries transformed by software, AI, and robotics. Backed by top tier VCs and SpaceX alumni, TerraFirma is positioned to capture value in a trillion dollar problem set with multiplanetary ambitions. Early revenue-generating projects and a clear path to fleet scaling suggest momentum toward becoming a major player in Earth infrastructure, and potentially beyond. The round size and quality of investors indicate high conviction in the team's ability to deliver order of magnitude improvements in speed, cost, and safety. Please email Superbcrew your feedback and news tips at hello(at)superbcrew.com

Netzender

Jul 14th, 2026

SpaceX alumni building remote-controlled construction equipment land $115 million fund round.

SpaceX alumni building remote-controlled construction equipment land $115 million fund round. Jul 14, 2026 - 19:17 TerraFirma's semi-autonomous construction equipment Courtesy: TerraFirma As SpaceX's Elon Musk sells investors on a space economy with life beyond Earth, a two-year-old construction startup founded by two of the company's former engineers is positioning itself for the future of interplanetary infrastructure. TerraFirma on Tuesday said it raised $115 million in a funding round with investments from Kleiner Perkins, Bain Capital Ventures, and defense tech companies SpaceX, Anduril and Hadrian. The Austin-based company uses a combination of interfaces, including Xbox controllers, to remotely operate construction equipment, and says its tools cut costs and improve safety. Long-term, the company wants to build on Mars. "Infrastructure is a bottleneck to basically every single industry that needs to innovate over the next couple of decades," CEO and co-founder Noah Schochet told CNBC. "There's such a deficit of people taking all of the great tech that has existed and been built for the last couple decades and bringing it" to the construction industry. The company plans to use the funding to hire 300 employees over the next year and build both a Texas factory and a mission control center. Terrafirma is part of a growing network of startups spun out of SpaceX that are looking to capitalize on the budding space economy. Other famous startups from former SpaceX alumni include hypersonic weapons maker Castelion and Realativity Space. SpaceX's historic $86 billion IPO last month, coupled with NASA's push to establish a lunar base on the Moon and Mars, has sparked fresh optimism for the sector. Over time, this future could include moving industry to Mars or the Moon to build solar cells and more easily launch data centers into space. Schochet and Noah McGuinness, the company's founders, met about a decade ago on the first day of engineering class at Princeton University. Over the next four years, the pair endured very similar course loads and worked on every project. After graduation, both founders landed at SpaceX. McGuinness worked on the government satellite program known as Starshield, while Schochet worked on Starlink and later Starship. While there, the team was under constant pressure to build and quickly scale, sometimes working in difficult conditions and facing infrastructure struggles, like reliable bathrooms. At the same time, the construction industry was working at a snail's pace, which sparked an idea: bring the speed of building at SpaceX to the construction industry. "We're building rockets the size of skyscrapers at one a month, and all those processes for mass manufacturing automation, none of them are showing up in construction," Schochet said. TerraFirma technicians use Xbox controllers to remotely operate heavy equipment Courtesy: TerraFirma Looking back, the pair described the experience as physically and mentally "rough," with days spent sleeping at their desks, but said it was "all worth it." About half of the company's engineering team also previously worked at SpaceX, Tesla and the Boring Company. For now, Terrafirma is set on proving its technology on Earth, with recent commercial projects including a sports arena and a Starbucks. But the firm hasn't lost sight of its long-term goal and plans to bid on any future moon projects. "The problem is you don't want to build a community based around a space economy that doesn't yet exist," Schochet said. "You want to build it around the economic drivers that truly drive the world today."

TerraFirma Robotics

HR Generalist

About the job