SpaceX

Builds rockets and runs Starlink satellite internet

Lead Operations Engineer - Global

Business OperationsPosted on Nov 10

Full-timeBastrop, TX, USANo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, business, or a STEM field is required.
At least 5 years of experience in an operations, process improvement, manufacturing, or consulting environment is required.
Candidates must be available to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
Applicants must meet U.S. export-control authorization requirements: be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Responsibilities

Set strategic priorities, quarterly roadmaps, and aggressive timelines for high-impact operational initiatives that improve customer experience, logistics, accounting, supply chain, and cross-functional operations.
Build and hire a high-performing team of operations engineers, coach them, develop individual talent, and raise overall team capability.
Identify systemic engineering and operational defects, conduct root-cause analysis, and implement comprehensive, scalable solutions.
Lead process improvement efforts using first-principles thinking, lean methodologies, and bias for action to simplify processes and remove unnecessary requirements or scope.
Design and own data frameworks and decision systems that translate complex operational data into strategic insights and actions.
Drive cross-functional alignment and influence senior leadership and partners across design, engineering, software, sales, marketing, customer service, logistics, accounting, and other teams.
Own complex, high-visibility projects end-to-end, remove blockers, de-scope non-essentials, and deliver results on aggressive timelines.
Establish and improve knowledge management systems, documentation standards, and team best practices that scale with the organization.
Foster a culture of ownership, bias for action, and continuous improvement within the team and across partner organizations.
Travel between sites to support Starlink Business Operations as needed, potentially up to 50%.

Desired Qualifications

An advanced degree or a dual background in engineering and business or operations is preferred.
At least 7 years of relevant experience, including building and scaling high-performing teams, is preferred.
Experience hiring and developing technical talent in a high-growth or high-intensity environment is preferred.
Hands-on experience with lean, Six Sigma, first-principles problem solving, and process excellence methodologies is preferred.
Proficiency with programming or scripting languages such as Python, SQL, R, or JavaScript for analysis, automation, and tooling is preferred.
Experience operating across customer experience, logistics, accounting, supply chain, engineering, and other operational domains is preferred.
A track record of driving organizational change and establishing scalable knowledge and documentation systems is preferred.
A history of successfully de-scoping complex initiatives while delivering substantial impact is preferred.

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.

LEAD OPERATIONS ENGINEER, GLOBAL (STARLINK)

Starlink is leveraging SpaceX’s experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy the world’s most advanced broadband internet system and largest satellite constellation. The Starlink Growth team combines deep analysis, business strategy, and operational excellence to drive customer retention, improve lifetime value, and scale the business. As a Lead Operations Engineer, you will set strategic priorities and timelines for high-impact operational initiatives while building and developing a high-performing team. You will hire and coach engineers, identify complex problems, drive scalable solutions, influence cross-functional leadership, and translate data into decisions that directly advance Starlink’s growth, profitability, and operational effectiveness.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Set strategic priorities, quarter roadmaps, and aggressive timelines for high-impact operational initiatives that improve Starlink’s customer experience, logistics, accounting, supply chain, and cross-functional operations.
Build, hire, and coach a high-performing team of operations engineers; actively develop individual talent and raise overall team capability.
Take extreme ownership of identifying systemic engineering and operational defects, driving rigorous root-cause analysis, and implementing comprehensive, scalable solutions.
Lead process improvement efforts using first-principles thinking, lean methodologies, and bias for action—ruthlessly simplifying processes and removing unnecessary requirements/scope.
Design and own data frameworks and decision systems that translate complex operational data into clear strategic insights and actions.
Drive cross-functional alignment and influence senior leadership and partners across design, engineering, software, sales, marketing, customer service, logistics, accounting, and other teams.
Own complex, high-visibility projects end-to-end, removing blockers, de-scoping non-essentials, and delivering results on aggressive timelines.
Establish and continuously improve knowledge management systems, documentation standards, and team best practices that scale with the organization.
Foster a culture of extreme ownership, bias for action, and continuous improvement within the team and across partner organizations.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business, or STEM field.
5+ years of experience in an operations, process improvement, manufacturing, and/or consulting environment.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Advanced degree or dual background (Engineering + Business/Operations).
7+ years of relevant experience, including building and scaling high-performing teams.
Experience hiring and developing technical talent in a high-growth or high-intensity environment.
Deep hands-on experience with lean, Six Sigma, first-principles problem solving, and process excellence methodologies.
Proficiency with programming/scripting languages (Python, SQL, R, JavaScript, or similar) for analysis, automation, and tooling.
Experience operating across customer experience, logistics, accounting, supply chain, engineering, and other operational domains.
Track record of driving organizational change and establishing scalable knowledge/documentation systems.
History of successfully de-scoping complex initiatives while still delivering outsized impact.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be available to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
This position may require travel between our sites to support Starlink Business Operations, potentially up to 50% travel.

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].

About the Company

SpaceX

Builds rockets and runs Starlink satellite internet

SpaceX builds and launches reusable rockets and spacecraft for NASA, the military, and companies, and it runs Starlink, a satellite internet service for homes and businesses. In 2020, its Dragon capsule became the first privately built spacecraft to carry astronauts to the International Space Station. Its Falcon 9 rocket lands its first stage so the booster can fly again, which cuts launch costs, while Starlink beams internet from low-orbit satellites to small dishes for a monthly fee. SpaceX also owns xAI, maker of the Grok chatbot and owner of the social network X, and is building Starship, a fully reusable rocket meant to carry people to the Moon and Mars. Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, and it is based in Starbase, Texas.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Starbase, Texas
Founded: 2002

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