Sr. Electrical Design Engineer (PE)

About the role

SpaceX's Starbase launch facilities are the center of SpaceX's plans to revolutionize space travel, serving as our primary site for Starship development and operations. We're seeking a licensed Professional Engineer with extensive experience on large EPC builds of both electrical transmission and generation infrastructure. In this role, you will own utility-scale power projects at Starbase - transmission lines, substations, and generation facilities - advising internal teams, engineering firms, and EPC contractors so designs are constructible, compliant, and ready on the timeline the site requires.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary technical owner and reviewer for transmission and generation design packages - plans, specifications, and construction documents - produced by internal teams, engineering firms, and EPC contractors, and confirm they are ready to issue for procurement and construction
• Direct large EPC efforts covering high-voltage transmission (lines, structures, and rights-of-way), transmission substations and switchyards, and generation facilities (plant, balance of plant, and grid interconnection), from concept and studies through detailed design, procurement support, construction, and commissioning
• Develop standardized design criteria, specifications, drawing templates, and review checklists so engineers and consultants produce consistent, constructible, code-compliant documents
• Give project managers and leadership a clear readiness call on design maturity, long-lead equipment, permitting, constructibility, and construction sequencing, and surface schedule risk early
• Own the construction-phase technical interface: respond to RFIs, disposition field changes, direct contractors and vendors on technical issues, and support commissioning through turnover
• Interface with electric utilities, transmission providers, ERCOT processes as applicable, and authorities having jurisdiction on interconnection, routing, permitting, and compliance
• Resolve technical issues across civil, structural, electrical, protection and controls, and mechanical disciplines, and push designs that are safe, reliable, and fast to build
• Stay current on the NESC, NEC, IEEE, NFPA, and Texas utility practice; fold lessons from construction and commissioning back into standards; and mentor engineers while holding consultants and contractors to that same bar

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical or other engineering discipline
• Active Professional Engineer (P.E.) license, with the ability to stamp and certify electrical plans
• 8+ years of experience in electric utility engineering, including technical leadership of design, specification development, and permitting or interconnection

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Extensive, hands-on experience on large EPC builds of both electrical transmission and electrical generation. Transmission experience must include lines and substations at transmission voltage. Generation experience must include utility-scale plant facilities and grid interconnection. Prior work should be at a scale comparable to multi-mile transmission, transmission-voltage substations, and utility-scale generation
• Record of taking those projects through detailed design, equipment specification and procurement support, construction support, and commissioning. Distribution-only work, studies without EPC delivery, or experience in only transmission or only generation does not meet this requirement
• Manager-level experience - for example as a design manager, engineering manager, or project engineering manager - at an engineering or EPC firm hired by electric utilities (investor-owned, municipal, cooperative, or independent power producers) to design and build large-scale transmission and generation systems
• Direct responsibility for transmission at 69 kV and above, including line design and substation or switchyard design (air-insulated and/or gas-insulated)
• Direct responsibility for utility-scale generation and balance of plant, such as simple-cycle or combined-cycle gas plants or other large generation, including interconnection to the transmission system
• ERCOT & MISO interconnection experience and familiarity with Texas and Louisiana coastal design conditions, including high wind, corrosion, and flooding
• Depth in protection and controls, grounding, and substation physical and electrical design, in addition to project leadership
• Proficiency with the tools used to produce and check this work, such as AutoCAD, PLS-CADD or an equivalent line-design package, substation physical design tools, and ETAP, SKM, ASPEN, or similar study software, plus document management systems
• Ability to thrive in ambiguous, high-tempo situations and make decisions with incomplete information while holding a rigorous technical standard
• Passion for space exploration and a willingness to relocate to work in Starbase, Texas, to be at the forefront of humanity's multiplanetary future

Additional Requirements

• This is not a remote or hybrid position and will require relocation if not already local to the Brownsville, TX areas
• Position occasionally requires the ability to work extended hours or weekends when needed
• Ability to travel to various locations included but not limited to: Louisiana, Florida, California, Texas
• Ability to travel internationally if required

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.