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 build TerraFirma’s geospatial and CAD function: the survey control, site models, and design surfaces that every estimate, every machine, and our proprietary Mission Control platform run on. On a semi-autonomous earthwork site, the 3D model is the instruction set.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role. You will set the standards, build the workflows, and grow the CAD, survey, and GIS team that turns civil plans, drone and LiDAR data, and field survey into construction-ready machine-control models, quantity takeoffs, and as-built verification. You will work directly with estimating, project management, field operations, and the robotics software team.

Responsibilities

Lead the geospatial, CAD, and survey function end to end, from bid-stage takeoff through machine-control models, progress surveys, and final as-builts

Build 3D design surfaces, corridor models, and machine-control files (Trimble, Topcon, Leica, or similar) from civil plan sets, and QC them before they go to the fleet

Establish and maintain site control, localizations, and coordinate systems across all active projects

Plan and process drone photogrammetry and LiDAR surveys for existing conditions, progress quantities, and stockpile volumes, and own the accuracy standards behind them

Produce and verify earthwork quantity takeoffs, cut and fill analysis, and balance studies in partnership with estimating

Define and document the geospatial data pipeline that feeds Mission Control, and partner with the robotics software team on the model formats, surfaces, and data our autonomous fleet consumes

Build the standard operating procedures, templates, folder structures, and QC checklists for CAD, survey, and GIS work so projects start fast and stay consistent

Hire, train, and manage CAD, survey, and takeoff technicians as the project portfolio grows

Support field operations with grade checks, stakeout, and rapid model revisions when conditions change on site

Maintain a GIS layer of project, utility, environmental, and logistics data that estimating, project management, and business development can use

Basic Qualifications

7+ years of experience in CAD, survey, or geospatial work on earthwork, heavy civil, or site development projects

Proven experience building 3D models and machine-control files for grading and excavation, and troubleshooting them in the field

Proficiency in Civil 3D and at least one machine-control or takeoff platform (e.g., Trimble Business Center, AGTEK, Topcon Magnet, Carlson, or similar)