Sr. Critical Lift & Transport Engineer (Falcon)
Core
Design, review, and execute critical heavy lifts and ground transport for SpaceX Falcon vehicles and ground support equipment at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Role type
Senior IC mechanical/structural engineer (critical lift & transport)
Builds
Mission-critical launch operations and hardware deployment
Domain
Aerospace / Heavy industrial lifting
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | dashboards & analysis | research | client delivery | infrastructure | physical/clinical work
Required skills
structural and mechanical engineering, crane rigging and lift planning, center-of-gravity calculations, risk assessment, fatigue/stress analysis, regulatory compliance (OSHA, ASME, AFSPCMAN), CAD design (Siemens NX/SOLIDWORKS), heavy equipment operation oversight
Preferred skills
aerospace heavy lift experience, RORO barge operations, root cause analysis of anomalies, specialized equipment expertise (crawler cranes, SPMTs, gantries), professional engineering license
Technologies
Siemens NX, SOLIDWORKS
Responsibilities
Lead planning and execution of complex critical lifts and heavy-haul transports; serve as primary technical authority coordinating with structures, manufacturing, and launch ops; develop critical lift plans, rigging designs, and transport configurations; conduct hazard analyses and fatigue/stress analyses; oversee on-site operations including pre-lift dry runs and real-time monitoring; interface with external vendors for specialized equipment rentals; maintain engineering documentation for regulatory audits; represent SpaceX in certification packages for US government agencies
Seniority
Senior, hands-on IC