Senior Automation Project Engineer (Aerospace)

TL;DR

Senior Automation Project Engineer (Aerospace): Designing, building, and deploying custom automated equipment and systems for scalable production with an accent on industrial automation and project leadership. Focus on translating requirements into production-ready systems, conducting cycle time analysis, and optimizing manufacturability of space vehicles.

Location: Central Texas. Must be a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident, or lawfully admitted refugee/asylee.

Salary: $181,626 - $254,275

Company

A spaceflight and exploration company working to lower the cost of access to space through reusable launch vehicles and in-space systems.

What you will do

• Engage internal customers to define and validate system requirements for automated manufacturing solutions.
• Develop conceptual simulations and cycle time models to evaluate optimal automation strategies and line architectures.
• Lead Design for Automated Manufacturing initiatives with product design teams to reduce system complexity.
• Manage project execution from requirements through commissioning, maintaining schedule, budget, and scope.
• Identify and evaluate automation component suppliers and support procurement decisions.
• Collaborate with engineering teams during detailed design to maintain alignment with conceptual intent.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in the design, build, and commissioning of automated manufacturing systems.
• Minimum 2 years of leadership experience in project management or as a technical lead on capital equipment projects.
• Experience with automation simulation and cycle time analysis (e.g., Process Simulate, Visual Components, FlexSim).
• Must be a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident (Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted refugee/asylee.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with PLC, CNC, and robot programming concepts.
• Experience with welding, machining, drilling, material handling, machine vision, or NDT.
• PMP certification or formal project management training.
• Experience developing capital project budgets, cost models, and RFQs for automation sub-systems.
• Ability to apply engineering first principles to solve novel manufacturing challenges.

Culture & Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%.
• Stock options for all regular employees.
• Paid Time Off: Up to four weeks per year plus 14 company-paid holidays.
• Access to an Education Support Program.