Manger, Recovery Operations (West Coast Falcon Recovery)

MANAGER, RECOVERY OPERATIONS (WEST COAST FALCON RECOVERY)

SpaceX is seeking a curious, solution-oriented, and empowering leader to manage recovery operations in a dynamic environment. The Manager of West Coast Falcon Recovery Operations is responsible for managing operations required to recover Vandenberg-launched boosters and fairings at sea, maintaining a recovery droneship, crewing a contracted support vessel, processing boosters and fairings, and returning hardware to Vandenberg. The manager will be responsible for building and following a recovery campaign timeline, training and equipping the team for both onshore and offshore operations, managing dynamic work scheduling, setting a culture that embraces aggressive challenges, providing a safe work environment, and returning undamaged flight hardware on time. The West Coast Falcon Recovery Manager will also support other SpaceX Recovery efforts including Dragon, East Coast Recovery, Mariner Operations, and Starship marine operations as required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage and coach the West Coast Booster and Fairing Recovery team of engineers and technicians to meet West Coast manifest while maintaining targets for workplace safety and flight hardware quality.
• Manage recovery missions with teams both at sea and on land; simultaneously process recovered hardware, deliver hardware to Vandy, and recover another set of hardware at sea.
• Lead daily and weekly reviews to plan operations, assess effectiveness, collect lessons-learned, and efficiently assign resources to tasks.
• Provide extreme ownership for support teams and vendors that work out of Long Beach and are required to complete the mission. This includes but is not limited to high power support, launch reliability support, crane support, tug contractors, support vessel contractors, welding vendors, and corrosion control vendors.
• Create a climate of respect, safety, and inclusion; develop a team that embraces constructive, actionable feedback and encourages receptiveness to feedback.
• Provide extreme ownership over SpaceX's droneship operations, maintenance, and improvements.
• Train recovery teams on offshore operations, flight hardware processing, and GSE; ensure teams are trained and equipped for safe operations and compliant with AS9100, US Coast Guard, and SpaceX policies.
• Conduct continuous assessment of resource needs, including headcount, surge support, capital projects, site improvements, and operational costs.
• Improve upon current Falcon and fairing recovery methods by decreasing cost and increasing safety, efficiency, and reliability.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering or science discipline.
• 3+ years of engineering experience working with mechanical, electrical, and/or fluids systems.
• 1+ years of experience in a leadership role with direct reports.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 2+ years of experience working with flight hardware.
• Experience planning, executing, and improving complex and time-sensitive operations.
• Experience in safety, hazardous chemical/material handling, and aerospace and marine compliance.
• Experience with work orders and test procedures, and familiarity with booster systems, fairing systems, and high pressure operations.
• Experience having a good response to problems posed by short deadlines.
• Experience with aerospace vehicles/payloads, automotive, aircraft, or marine assemblies.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work outdoors and in maritime environments.
• Ability to work in a high-stress environment.
• Must be willing to support offshore operations, including working recovery missions at sea.
• Must be willing to travel - up to 10%
• Position may require long hours (10-12+ hour days) and weekend work with schedule flexibility to match operational cadence.
• Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg
• Ability to obtain Merchant Marine Credentials (MMC) and Department of Homeland Security Transportation Worker's Identification Card (TWIC).
• Must have a valid driver's license.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:

Manager: $150,000.00 - $190,000.00/per year

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.