About the role
At TerraFirma, we’re redefining how the world moves earth for construction. Founded by former SpaceX engineers and backed by Kleiner Perkins and Bain Capital Ventures, TerraFirma is automating construction to make it faster, cheaper, and safer.
Our Story & Mission
At SpaceX, we were part of the teams that built the largest rocket in human history, launched the largest constellation of satellites ever made, and delivered connectivity to millions of people worldwide. What we learned was simple: infrastructure is everything.
At Starbase, the biggest barrier to launching missions to Mars was not building the rocket. It was how slow, expensive, and complex it was to build the infrastructure around it. We lacked buildings, roads, water, power, communications, and waste management, and constructing them took far more time and resources than it should have.
From a first-principles perspective, that doesn't make sense. It shouldn't be this hard or costly to create the foundations for progress. That’s when we realized something important: the same engineering mindset that enabled us to tackle space exploration and mass manufacturing could be applied to infrastructure. By bringing the principles of simplification, iteration, acceleration, and automation to construction, we can unlock a new era in how the world builds.
Accelerating infrastructure unlocks progress across every domain, creating a self-sustaining engine for tackling humanity’s toughest challenges. The innovations we develop on Earth will lay the groundwork for the technologies that one day make settlement on Mars possible.
Job Overview
You will be responsible for integrating TerraFirma's autonomy kits onto real heavy equipment, bringing together the electrical, mechanical, and sensor systems that turn a standard bulldozer or excavator into a semi-autonomous machine. This is a hands-on role spanning installation, wiring, sensor mounting, systems checkout, and troubleshooting, both in the shop and on active job sites.
Responsibilities
- Install and integrate TerraFirma's electrical, sensor, and mechanical kit components onto heavy equipment platforms
- Run and terminate wiring harnesses, mount sensors and control hardware, and ensure clean, reliable installations that hold up in the field
- Perform systems-level checkout and functional testing of integrated equipment before and after deployment
- Diagnose and troubleshoot integration issues across electrical, mechanical, and software interfaces, escalating to engineering as needed
- Support field installations and on-site troubleshooting when equipment is deployed to active construction sites
- Maintain detailed installation and test documentation to support quality and continuous improvement
- Collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, and software engineering teams to identify and resolve recurring integration issues, feeding lessons back into design
- Undertaking any other duties, tasks, or responsibilities as assigned by the Company, whether related to fleet maintenance, equipment operation, or other business operations
Basic Qualifications
- 2+ years of experience in mechanical or electromechanical integration, installation, or a related hands-on technical role
- Ability to read and interpret wiring diagrams, schematics, and installation instructions
- Comfortable using hand tools, basic electrical test equipment (multimeters), and standard wiring/termination techniques
- Willingness and ability to work both in a shop environment and on active outdoor construction sites
Preferred Skills & Experience
- Experience integrating electronics or sensor systems onto heavy equipment, vehicles, or industrial machinery
- Experience with wiring harnesses, connectors, and cable routing in outdoor or high-vibration environments
- Basic troubleshooting experience across electrical, mechanical, and software systems
- Experience supporting field deployments or on-site technical work
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving processes
Additional Requirements
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment
- Must be willing to travel to job sites as needed to support field installations
- Must be willing to relocate to Austin, TX if not within commuting distance
- Must be willing to work extended hours when needed to support critical deployment deadlines