Sr. Equipment Reliability Engineer, Solar Cells (Starlink)

SpaceX is building the next generation of space infrastructure to enable large-scale AI data centers in orbit. These orbital AI platforms require massive amounts of reliable, high-efficiency solar power to support intensive computing workloads in space. We are standing up one of the largest solar cell manufacturing facilities in the world and seeking a best-in-class Equipment Reliability Engineer to drive asset reliability and uptime for advanced production equipment, including vacuum deposition, chemical processing, metallization, and automation systems. This role will help shape maintenance strategies from the ground up while enabling SpaceX’s ambitious vision for AI data centers in space.

About the Role

The primary role of the Equipment Reliability Engineer is to identify and manage asset reliability risks that could adversely affect factory or business operations. As production ramps, the goal is to achieve maximum asset and system uptime (>95% on critical lines) by implementing and executing plans to minimize production losses, unpredictable asset behavior, and high costs for system maintainability. The role acts as the accountable engineering resource in driving the design, build, and installation stages of new and modified assets while providing technical support to production and other teams to prevent and mitigate operational issues on critical solar cell manufacturing equipment.

Responsibilities

• Work with process, automation, materials, and other engineering teams to ensure reliability of new installations including thin-film deposition (PECVD, sputtering), chemical processing, vacuum systems, and robotics
• Guide consistency and maintainability of critical equipment, processes, utilities, controls, safety systems, and cleanroom protocols
• Own improvement plans, root cause analysis (RCA), and corrective actions for preventative/predictive maintenance, OEE, and downtime minimization
• Define, monitor, and refine maintenance plans with predictive tools (vibration, cycle monitoring), RCM, and non-destructive testing
• Prepare documentation for mechanical design, controls, software, schematics, and OEM manuals
• Develop solutions to repetitive failures affecting capacity, quality, cost, compliance, or cleanroom standards
• Analyze assets (utilization, OEE, useful life, costs) to support factory scaling
• Lead troubleshooting of mechanical, electrical, fluid, pneumatic, and robotic failures; provide hands-on support when needed
• Manage requests for improvements, spares optimization (min/max, criticality), and CMMS
• Drive continuous improvement using lean principles, Six Sigma, and technician feedback

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, systems, manufacturing engineering, or STEM discipline
• 5+ years of experience in an engineering role in manufacturing, integration, reliability, maintenance, technical program management, and/or operations
• Ability to travel internationally (20%)
• Ability to stand up to 6 hours, lift up to 25 pounds unassisted, and maneuver around equipment in a factory setting
• Ability to work in industrial environments with fumes/odors, noise, hazardous chemicals, and confined spaces
• Must be available to work extended hours and weekends as needed
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), Refugee under 8 U.S.C.1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C.1158, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Advanced degrees in engineering with reliability analysis experience through research and/or internships
• 7+ years in maintenance/reliability in high-volume manufacturing, ideally semiconductor/solar/automation
• Experience with control systems, automation, deposition tools (PECVD, sputtering), vacuum/chemical/mechanical/electrical/pneumatic components
• Reading schematics, manuals, GD&T, P&IDs; RCA and leading troubleshooting
• Proficiency in CMMS (Maximo, SAP, etc.), MRP/ERP, statistical tools, data analytics
• Familiarity with lean, TPM, Six Sigma, RCM, predictive maintenance
• Track record scaling programs in high-growth renewable/aerospace environments
• Familiarity with cleanroom protocols, pyrophoric/toxic gases, hazardous chemical handling; CRE/CMRP certification
• Strong critical thinking and urgency in problem-solving