SMT Process Specialist (Starlink)
SpaceX · Bastrop, TX
- Level
- Specialist
- Team
- Process
- Travel
- 10%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 2+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A specialist process role at SpaceX (aerospace & defense) in Bastrop, TX. Execute new product introduction builds across all work centers.
- They ask for
- 2+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- SPC, FMEA, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Tooling, SolidWorks, CATIA / NX
- Day to day
- about 10% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Process Engineer roles in Texas: typical posted base $76k–$120k.
Median of the low and high ends of 16 live postings that list pay, out of 68 process engineer openings in Texas, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Texas plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 67 other live process postings in Texas.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (2+ vs 3+)
Typical $76k–$120k, from 16 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 3+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Root cause 46%
- Lean 32%
- ✓ SPC 26%
- ✓ Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 26%
- ✓ New product launch 26%
- Team leadership 24%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for SolidWorks, CATIA / NX, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Process team at SpaceX
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: SpaceX in Bastrop
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Full description from SpaceXAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Execute new product introduction builds across all work centers
- ◆Program, load, and operate automated equipment
- ◆Triage non-conforming products and drive resolution and preventative actions
- ◆Resolve production issues while ensuring design integrity, product quality, and delivery timelines
- ◆Perform process development and validation on new models in extremely aggressive timelines
- ◆Ensure the successful transition of products from development to volume production
- ◆Identify continuous improvement opportunities for yield, performance, and cost
- ◆Define maintenance schedules and support activities
Qualifications
- ✓High school diploma or equivalency certificate and 2+ years of professional experience in a hands-on manufacturing environment; OR bachelor's degree in an engineering, math or science discipline
- ✓1+ years of experience with SMT and/or PCBA assembly equipment and processes
Preferred skills and experience
- ✓Associate or bachelor's degree in an engineering, math, or science discipline
- ✓4+ years of experience with SMT equipment operation in a production setting
- ✓Direct experience with SMT equipment maintenance and support
- ✓Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, or manufacturing engineering
- ✓Experience implementing design for manufacture and design for test
- ✓Ability to create and deliver presentations for design and manufacturing readiness reviews
- ✓Experience transitioning products from design to manufacturing as part of a cross-functional team in a fast-paced iterative design environments
- ✓Experience modeling with 3D CAD software such as NX/Unigraphics, Catia, or Solidworks
- ✓Working proficiency with DFMEA and PFMEA methodology and implementation
- ✓SPC knowledge and experience applying statistical methods to track process capability
- ✓Basic competency with SQL databases
- ✓Demonstrated experience designing tooling in a manufacturing environment
Requirements
- ✓Must be available one or more of the following shifts:
- ✓A shift, 5am-5pm Sunday-Tuesday, every other Wednesday
- ✓B shift, 5am-5pm Thursday-Saturday, every other Wednesday
- ✓C shift, 5pm-5am Sunday-Tuesday, every other Wednesday
- ✓D shift, 5pm-5am Thursday-Saturday, every other Wednesday
- ✓Must be open to work either shift, overtime and/or weekends as needed
- ✓Standing for long periods of time, climbing up and down ladders, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, and stretching may be required to perform the functions of this position
- ✓Able to lift up to 25lbs. unassisted
- ✓Able to travel for business trips up to 10% on an ongoing basis
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 .
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 EEOCompliance@spacex.com .
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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.
Smt process specialist (starlink)
One of the most ambitious missions that SpaceX has undertaken to date, the Starlink satellite constellation, is our solution to providing reliable internet to the entire world. We are looking for talented manufacturing specialists to help establish new manufacturing and test processes and support full-scale production for the user terminal (a high-volume manufactured product that consumers will have in their homes).
The success of Starlink depends on the quality, reliability, cost, manufacturability, throughput, and security of the products that you deliver. If you seek a fast-paced, dynamic environment; if you thrive on solving difficult problems where resolutions have high impact; and if you love the challenge of building something from scratch, then this role will be an ideal next career step.