SpaceX is hiring a Farmer in Texas | Hacker News Reader

SpaceX is hiring a Farmer in Texas

spacex.com

120 pointssiralonso50 comments

My best guess is that SpaceX had to buy a lot of land in the buffer region surrounding their testing facilities in McGregor, and they're just looking to put it to good use.

In addition to the direct income from farming, farming the land would maintain its eligibility for an "open-space appraisal" under Texas law, which would reduce its property taxes by changing the valuation methodology for the land. Although there are two types of agricultural property tax exemptions in Texas, only the open-space appraisal eligibility requirements allow the owner's principal source of income to be something other than farming.

Sources: http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/1361.pdf http://bigskyranchtexas.com/everything-you-want-to-know-abou...

I think your guess is correct. As the announcement says:

   This position will be required to work around test schedules as
   necessary to ensure the successful crop production does not
   interfere with testing progress.

Probably to get additional tax exemptions on property taxes of the land they own [0]

[0] http://exiledonline.com/property-taxes-are-for-parasites-bil...

So this is how a business writes a job position for a farmer. Interesting

Now let's just hope HR and the interviewers don't require the applicant their Github profile or something.

" typically, SpaceX employees work a minimum 50 hour week" yehaa.. just sleep in the office!

Hah, I don't even think that would be legal where I live. I'm used to employers having to pay for every hour a person works. People can work overtime for free, but the business can't force them to. It sounds like spacex is quassi forcing them to work more hours than they are being compensated for.

For highly skilled people you generally have lots of options, it's very difficult for a company to require 50 hour weeks without paying a salary higher than a company that requires 40 hour weeks.

"Oh but you're working with cool stuff! And you have a foosball table and free lunch"

Well... then you're more interested in cool stuff, foosball tables and free lunch than cold hard cash, but again, for highly skilled people there are many companies willing to offer boatloads of cash for those that can figure out how to do their own laundry, and buy their own sodas.

That's a light workload by farming standards.

I don't know whether I'm more excited about the fact that this could be an interstellar-themed joke, or that SpaceX is trying to do something interesting/ambitious in the farming industry.

I know companies are mostly in it to profit, but it's hard not to like/want to think the best of SpaceX

Based on some other comments in this thread, it looks much more mundane- a simple tax dodge.

Closed as Working as Intended

Reason: Relevant tax regulations are in place to create incentives for productive land use.

Aye, "dodge" was probably harsh language on my part. Saying they're taking advantage of tax credits would have been better.

"Effective utilization of tax policy."

Frankly, I'd rather the money go into Elon's pocket than the government's.

Isn't this technically a farm-manager position, as the occupant will neither own nor rent the land?

That doesn't necessarily affect the definition of a farmer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmer

As Wiki confirms, it's usual nowadays to reserve the term for freeholders (or tenant-farmers, which WP oddly doesn't mention at all).

I misread the title, I thought they hired some farmer who builds a rocket in his barn, similar to the movie The Astronaut Farmer.

Turns out it's a regular farmer... growing rocket fuel?

Actually... if the new rocket is using methane could they be growing crops that decompose into lots of methane? Are they experimenting with alcohol/LOX? Are they growing biofuel to refine to RP-1?

Requirements:

*Understand the implications of the weather and make contingency plans

I first thought this was for testing farming in space/Mars. But yes, in reality it's for tax reason. And it doesn't make sense to let all that land go unused.

Interestingly I know a family that 'farms' on Maui so they can live on a land that's zoned for farming. Supposedly the land is zoned for farming, so they bought the land, built nice houses and also farm to satisfy the requirement for zoning. But of course they are not farmers...

If you have ever driven around Texas, you will see "farmland" like this all over the place. A random factory or warehouse with cows grazing around it is quite common, even in the greater Austin area.

Like other's have said, it's for tax reasons. I figured they didn't even bother trying to make an actual profit from the farm, but maybe in this SpaceX case they will since the scale is so large.

Dang, I have to be a US citizen. Surely SpaceX's agricultural activities aren't subject to space industry regulations?

As the position requires ten years of experience in Central Texas agriculture specifically, it's probably moot in this case.

Actually there is an "or" in there, so no you don't have to be a us citizen.

That page doesn't zoom well. Hit Cmd-Plus several times to magnify and see how it destroys the text. I would have expected better from what wants to be a professional presentation. No responsive web sites for astronaut farmers.

I'm on Chrome and Win7 and it was fine for me (aside from the text column scootching rightward, starting at 175% zoom, but just scrolling to the right fixes that).

So is it to train people to create farms on space colonies?

I've been reading this again and again for the exact same thing.

It's almost certainly to qualify for a Texas property tax break.

All kinds of people in rural Texas grow some hay or keep a couple cows on their extra acreage to save on taxes.

the position is subject to ITAR.

could it be related to item 14 on United States Munitions List:

>>Toxicological Agents, Including Chemical Agents, Biological Agents, and Associated Equipment

from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Munitions_List

I think it's just boilerplate in that all SpaceX employees are tangentially exposed to stuff which is ITAR (Rockets = ICBMs)

Only a tiny number of their positions are more sensitive than that (guidance and some of the comms positions, probably, and possibly facilities badging and interconnects for launch operations)

Dishwashers[0], baristas[1], line cooks[2], and porters[3] are all subject to ITAR as well. Can't afford to let China learn our latest China scrubbing technology.

[0] http://www.spacex.com/careers/position/5715

[1] http://www.spacex.com/careers/position/5839

[2] http://www.spacex.com/careers/position/5708

[3] http://www.spacex.com/careers/position/6151

I don't want to jump on the conspiracy bandwagon, but the baristas heard a lot of interesting technical conversations. Also, in the University bar, we use to grab a paper napkin and write in it, but we don't work with classified information.

Good enough time to mention this again then: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/at-cia-starbucks-even...

Ha! They say to work at SpaceX you have to be extremely flexible, and work 50 hours a week. They're saying that to a farmer, with a straight face.

I can't help but think about the plot of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six.

Meshed with Executive Orders, what with the spread of Ebola...

I was thinking more of Interstellar. Presumably they'll train him to be a pilot and keep him in reserve for when the Blight arrives.

> SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by ... veteran status, disability status ...

> Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities ...

Seems a bit contradictory?

Not really, the plan might just say, "we plan to treat you the same as everyone else."

Be hard to sell that as an "Affirmative Action Plan"

I think "influenced" here is meant in the negative sense (you will not be punished for your disabilities).

It's like how the the 14th amendment is not meant to get rid of advantages for whites, but of the disadvantages for pretty much every minorities.

"influenced in any manner" seems pretty non-ambiguous.

Also, affirmative action did face significant 14th amendment challenges.

> Must be able to climb ladders and work in tight spaces.

This is the most interesting bit.

Farming requires that.

Does "working in tight spaces" refer to physical fitness or mental factors such as claustrophobia? (perhaps both)

Interstellar...it's happening

The resume's being sent in for this will be worth a read. I hope someone hacks SpaceX and leaks them. ;)

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