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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Lead Engineer, Development Operations - **Company:** Space Exploration Technologies Corp. - **Location:** United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Computer-Aided Design, SolidWorks (CAD), DevOps, Failure Mode Effects Analysis, Teamcenter (Software) - **Published:** September 24, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.thejobnetwork.com/job/0536988d-60bd-4eb6-9a54-631f7910bc6b/lead-engineer-development-operations-starlink ## About the Role - Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or other engineering discipline - 2+ year leading a product development, manufacturing engineering, or project team - 3+ years of hands-on design, analysis, build, and/or manufacturing of mechanical or electromechanical hardware **PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:** - 2+ years of experience with CAD (NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent) - Demonstrated full-cycle ownership of a hardware project from concept through fab and handoff - Design for manufacturability (DFM/DFA) with design teams - including pushing back on over-constrained CAD - GD&T you can inspect - Fixtures, tooling, weldments, or modular automation / material-handling equipment - CNC, conventional machining, or weld/fab process - FEA / first-principles structures calcs on tooling and stands - NX and Teamcenter (or equivalent PLM) - DFMEA / PFMEA - Vendor fab, NCR, and cross-functional schedule pressure with incomplete requirements - Strong desire to mentor engineers - High-mix development shop ## Description SpaceX is leveraging its experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world's most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world's largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system - thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together. Development Operations in Bastrop is the shop that turns engineering intent into hardware: fixtures, tooling, CNC, weld, modular automation cells, and the mechanical catalog that factory and test programs pull from. We are looking for a Lead Engineer to own that engineering stack - design, DFM, and the engineers who run it - so programs hit schedule without a hero on every job. This role encompasses design, analysis, and manufacturing. You will spearhead large-scope projects from early design trades through fab and handoff. You will define processes, drive requirements, and set the design bar (GD&T, NX, fixtures that the mill can actually cut). You partner with Development Supervisors who own technician people ops. **RESPONSIBILITIES:** - Lead the Development Operations engineering team (Build Engineers and design/DFM ICs): hire, coach, set goals, and raise the bar on quality, throughput, and schedule - Own design for manufacturability from concept through fab: original CAD, GD&T, design reviews, and design changes that reduce cost, complexity, and cycle time - Own fixtures, tooling, workholding, and mechanical catalog items (cells, conveyors, buffers, stands) from raw material through handoff to the customer program - Act as technical decision maker for the shop engineering stack - what we make, how we make it, and when we push a design back to the RE - Partner with Development Supervisors on intake, queue, and expedite - Partner with CNC programmers, machinists, welders, ACE specialists, and inventory - Drive NCR, root cause, and corrective action on non-conforming product (tooling, cells, fixtures, piece parts) - Create and maintain build documentation: procedures, MBOMs, integration instructions, and planning that technicians and vendors can execute - Interface with supply chain and vendors so piece parts and sub-assemblies hit rate - Present look-ahead with a recommendation (options, capacity, risk) - Support Development Test with fixtures and fab ## Related Videos - [More efficient software for more efficient microchips](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1164-more-efficient-software-for-more-efficient-microchips) - [XR Demystified: Separating Facts from Fiction in 2024](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1117-xr-demystified-separating-facts-from-fiction-in-2024) - [From DevOps to Scaled DevOps: How We’re Rebuilding Continuous Delivery as a Platform](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100018-from-devops-to-scaled-devops-how-we-re-rebuilding-continuous-delivery-as-a-platform) - [Google Gemma and Open Source AI Models - Clement Farabet](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1354-google-gemma-and-open-source-ai-models-clement-farabet) - [DevOps Maturity Check – a way to balance autonomy and alignment](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/58-devops-maturity-check-a-way-to-balance-autonomy-and-alignment) - [Successful talent development: A joint journey of executives and talents](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1002-successful-talent-development-a-joint-journey-of-executives-and-talents) ## Related Articles - [What is Software Engineering?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/289-what-is-software-engineering) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [Top Characteristics of a Software Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/166-top-characteristics-of-a-software-engineer) - [Is Software Engineering Hard?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/448-is-software-engineering-hard) - [From developer to manager – what does it take to become an engineering manager?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/42-from-developer-to-manager-what-does-it-take-to-become-an-engineering-manager) - [How software is steering vehicle technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/515-how-software-is-steering-vehicle-technology)