Air Separation Unit Operations Lead
SpaceX · Starbase, TX
About this role
<div class="content-intro"><p>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.</p></div><p><strong>AIR SEPARATION UNIT OPERATIONS LEAD</strong></p> <p>As an air separation operations lead, you will own the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of SpaceX’s air separation unit that produces the high-purity liquid oxygen required for Starship. This role is critical to achieving rapid launch cadence and supporting Starship’s development at scale
You will lead operations teams, drive continuous improvement in plant performance, and help eliminate supply risk for one of the most propellant-intensive launch vehicles ever built. If you thrive in high-stakes industrial environments and want your work to directly enable humanity’s multiplanetary future, this is the role for you.</p> <p><strong>RESPONSIBILITIES:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Lead daily operations of air separation plants, including startup, shutdown, and steady-state production, targeting >98% availability within the first 12 months</li> <li>Hire and train an excellent engineering and operations team.</li> <li>Establish and improve operating procedures, alarm response plans, and troubleshooting for all air separation unit systems</li> <li>Partner with maintenance and design teams to reduce downtime and find the root cause</li> <li>Own operational safety and overall plant safety management</li> <li>Meet or exceed expected plant efficiency and output (distillation efficiency, power consumption, product purity)</li> </ul> <p><strong>BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2+ years of hands-on experience operating or directly supervising air separation units (ASU), large-scale industrial gas plants, or other commercial-scale process facilities</li> <li>Bachelor’s degree in mechan
Apply for this role on SpaceX’s official careers site.