Supplier Development Engineer, Mechanical (Starship)

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. SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER, MECHANICAL (STARSHIP) SpaceX demands a new type of supply chain as we drive towards humanity on Mars. We require our suppliers to provide premium quality with rapidly evolving designs at increasingly ambitious volumes. We are actively looking for candidates who possess comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing and quality tools and have unrelenting motivation to enable suppliers for success. This position will support our Starship program and requires a combination of proven leadership and technical capabilities. This is a highly technical position that requires practical experience in manufacturing engineering and new product development through stabilized production for an array of fabrication processes (components and assemblies) used in rockets and rocket engines. The ideal candidate will have a broad and thorough understanding of component fabrication methodologies including machining, finishing, forming, welding, inspections, and other associated processes. This candidate must have the desire and capability to take on new challenges in unfamiliar areas to help enable our mission to Mars. RESPONSIBILITIES: Serve as the technical point of contact for assigned parts and assemblies of the rocket, solving emergent challenges at suppliers, and mitigating risk to the manifest by addressing high-impact manufacturing and quality challenges Own the new product introduction of new parts and assemblies on the rocket, including determining the ideal manufacturing method, identifying and reviewing suppliers, and developing a reliable process for ramping to rate for parts that are new, undergoing drawing changes, or undergoing re-sourcing at a new supplier Drive technical product improvements and related engineering drawing updates to reduce risk and potential defect opportunities as well as improve manufacturability, manufacturing lead times, and cost Review issues on assigned parts and solve to the root cause, implementing changes at the supplier, at SpaceX or both, as appropriate, drive further actions to closure, and re-source to new suppliers where appropriate Create and disposition issue tickets where needed, working with engineering counterparts to implement, but not limited to, required re-work, repair or use as-is disposition Lead containment activities on assigned parts, working with cross-functional counterparts to agree on scope, path forward and ultimate resolution Work with procurement to find exceptional suppliers and vet them appropriately for quality and ability to meet our aggressive takt times Review and assess supplier manufacturing processes and quality systems, providing feedback as appropriate and manage supplier improvements Demonstrate innovation, technical excellence, attention to detail, self-direction and courage to push the technical envelope which is conventionally held in the industry. Become thoroughly familiar with your assigned parts and the processes that make up the overall assembly and become the primary point of contact for supply chain related defects on your parts BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline 1+ years of experience with manufacturing or process engineering PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: Experience with manufacturing, machined parts, fabricated components, sheet metal, composites, and/or raw materials & special processes Experience with assessing supplier technical capability both from an equipment, operations, and personnel perspective Knowledge of supplier quality processes (Production Part Approval Process, Advanced Product Quality Planning, First Article Inspection Reports, etc.) Disciplined approach to problem solving – i.e. 8D Experience with qu