Operations Engineer, Applied AI (Application Software)
SpaceX · On-site
MeritLog read this listing from SpaceX's Greenhouse job board and last checked it on September 8, 2026.
Source: the employer's Greenhouse job board. Open the original listing for current details.
Job details
- Work model
- On-site
- Salary
- Not listed by source
- Location
- Bastrop, TX
Hiring context
How this role compares at SpaceX
SpaceX has 2,343 live roles in MeritLog’s catalog across 11 job families, and 1,415 of them are in engineering. 199 of those listings publish a pay range, a disclosure rate of 8%.
SpaceX concentrates this hiring in:
Counted across the job boards MeritLog tracks, at the time this page was served. Pay comparisons use only listings that publish a complete range in the same currency and period.
What the role asks for
What you'd do
- Work alongside internal teams to uncover their needs and design technical approaches that closely align with their goals
- Serve as the main technical point of contact, supporting end-to-end while coordinating with internal teams to ensure strong outcomes
- Build prototypes and proof-of-concept applications that clearly illustrate effective ways to integrate with Spok/Grok
- Advise on system-on-system architecture and support teams in developing advanced applications powered by LLMs – Large Language Models
- Keep current evolving LLM technologies, best practices, and the tools commonly used in fast-moving environments
What they're asking for
- Bachelor’s degree in a STEM or engineering disciplineEducation
- 1+ years of experience working in engineering or operations/process developmentExperience
- Hands-on experience supporting cross- functional teams and a solid grasp of their fast-paced environment, limited resources, and specific pain points, specifically in engineering disciplinesSkillPreferred
- Ability to code along with a track record of developing production-level applicationsSkillPreferred
- Experience with shipping real-world applications using large language models and related machine learning tools to lead cross-functional groupsSkillPreferred
- Knowledge of common LLM techniques including prompt design, evaluation methods, agent systems, and retrieval architectureSkillPreferred
- Previous experience working with AI product design, development, integration, and/or testSkillPreferred
- Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver expeditious results across multiple parallel prioritiesSkillPreferred
- Previous experience innovating process improvements, AI integrations, and AI system design in an enterprise settingSkillPreferred
- Positive, "can-do" attitude, self-starter, and ability to work in a high-pace dynamic environmentSkillPreferred
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as neededSkillPreferred
- Must be willing to travel up to 25% of the time to visit different sitesSkillPreferred
- Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and VandenbergSkillPreferred
- This role requires you to be onsite. Remote and/or hybrid work will not be consideredSkillPreferred
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.SkillPreferred
Parsed by MeritLog from the employer’s own posting. The full description follows below.
Job description
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. OPERATIONS ENGINEER, APPLIED AI (APPLICATION SOFTWARE) As an Operations Engineer on SpaceX’s team, you will act as a key technical partner. You’ll help internal teams across different programs explore the capabilities of different platforms and design smart, effective strategies for incorporating large language models into their products and infrastructure. This hybrid role blends strong technical depth with strong interpersonal skills to empower different teams within the company to create powerful AI-powered solutions while prioritizing safety and responsible deployment. You’ll collaborate closely with Sales, Product, and Engineering teams to support them from early exploration all the way through successful implementation. Using your engineering background, you will build practical testing approaches and create robust system designs that deliver meaningful results. RESPONSIBILITIES: • Work alongside internal teams to uncover their needs and design technical approaches that closely align with their goals • Serve as the main technical point of contact, supporting end-to-end while coordinating with internal teams to ensure strong outcomes • Build prototypes and proof-of-concept applications that clearly illustrate effective ways to integrate with Spok/Grok • Advise on system-on-system architecture and support teams in developing advanced applications powered by LLMs – Large Language Models • Keep current evolving LLM technologies, best practices, and the tools commonly used in fast-moving environments BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: • Bachelor’s degree in a STEM or engineering discipline • 1+ years of experience working in engineering or operations/process development PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: • Hands-on experience supporting cross- functional teams and a solid grasp of their fast-paced environment, limited resources, and specific pain points, specifically in engineering disciplines • Ability to code along with a track record of developing production-level applications • Experience with shipping real-world applications using large language models and related machine learning tools to lead cross-functional groups • Knowledge of common LLM techniques including prompt design, evaluation methods, agent systems, and retrieval architecture • Previous experience working with AI product design, development, integration, and/or test • Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver expeditious results across multiple parallel priorities • Previous experience innovating process improvements, AI integrations, and AI system design in an enterprise setting • Positive, "can-do" attitude, self-starter, and ability to work in a high-pace dynamic environment ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: • Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed • Must be willing to travel up to 25% of the time to visit different sites • Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg • This role requires you to be onsite. Remote and/or hybrid work will not be considered ITAR REQUIREMENTS: • To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here. SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.