Space Operations Engineer (Ground Operator Training)
Hawthorne · 1+ years experience · Posted Oct 14, 2026
At a glance
- Experience
- 1+ years experience
- Location
- Hawthorne
About the role
- SpaceX is seeking an Operations Training Engineer to prepare teams for the safe execution of human and cargo spaceflight missions.
- The role involves a split focus between full-stack development and active operator training, including serving as an on-console mission control operator.
- Engineers in this position will develop training workflows and simulation environments to support interplanetary spacecraft operations.
Responsibilities
- Develop, train, and evaluate operations teams to safely conduct Dragon and Starship missions
- Devote 50% of time to full stack development and 50% to operator training and supporting operations
- Challenge requirements, develop tooling, and reshape training workflows to create efficient operator training processes
- Create training content, develop training plans, and provide instruction to mission control operators
- Plan, schedule, and execute training events and simulations with SpaceX, NASA, and customer teams
- Script, test, and deploy simulation software components to ensure a high-quality training experience
- Develop and maintain the simulation environment (servers, applications, and automation)
- Become an on-console mission control operator to support human and cargo spaceflight missions
- Develop subject matter expertise and clearly communicate technical concepts to a wide audience
- Work closely with operations teams to innovate how humans interact with a diverse fleet of interplanetary spacecraft
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or science discipline
- 1+ years of experience providing technical training in a critical environment or real-time operations experience on a system with high consequence of failure
- 1+ years of programming experience in Python or JavaScript
- Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee to conform to U.S. Government export regulations
Preferred qualifications
- Master's degree in a technical discipline
- Previous experience with spacecraft/aircraft engineering or operations
- Previous experience writing software in a professional environment
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
- Clear verbal and written technical communication skills
- Capacity to balance conflicting opinions and manage expectations between multiple teams and customers
- Able to quickly adapt and change course in a fast-paced environment
- Insatiable hunger for continuous improvement and self-motivated to challenge the status quo
Benefits
- Long-term incentives (company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards)
- Discretionary bonuses
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Medical, vision, and dental coverage
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Short & long-term disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid parental leave
- 3 weeks of paid vacation
- 10 or more paid holidays per year
Workplace
- Occasional travel to other SpaceX sites (California, Texas, and Florida) is required
Skills
- Python
- JavaScript
- Full Stack Development
- Simulation Software
- Automation
