Manager, Production (Solar Cells)

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. MANAGER, CHEMICAL PROCESS PRODUCTION (STARLINK) SpaceX is scaling advanced manufacturing to power revolutionary products like Starlink satellites, solar cells, and next-gen semiconductors. Our chemical-intensive production facilities—from wafer/ingot processing to high-volume deposition and etching—enable rapid innovation and global connectivity at the scales required for growing Starlink and other critical SpaceX missions. We are looking for a well-rounded leader who is passionate about disciplined operations and capable of taking charge of a broad array of responsibilities required to build a world-class operations team. You will be responsible for growing the production team that will operate and maintain this equipment, establishing the standards by which this team operates, and shepherding the program from equipment setup thru full production ramp. This individual must have the capability to rapidly become a subject matter expert on multiple complex production operations, and capable of operating successfully within a dynamic startup environment while identifying and executing actions needed to ensure mission success. RESPONSIBILITIES: Manage a large team of supervisors, technicians, and associates on a multi-shift schedule Ensure a strong focus is placed on safety and maintain an excellent safety record Build talent pipeline: Recruit, onboard, and develop leaders and ICs Create training/onboarding programs and career development paths to boost quality, reduce lead time/cost Define and enforce operational standards with strict accountability Collaborate with engineering to startup & optimize chemical manufacturing equipment & processes Drive continuous improvement via metrics (yield, OEE, throughput) Ensure root causes for quality issues are identified and appropriate improvement actions are put in place to prevent recurrence Report area status/risks to leadership and foster cross-department collaboration BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or STEM discipline; OR 4+ years of professional leadership experience in a manufacturing environment 3+ years of production operations or process development experience 2+ years of experience in a leadership position PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or technical discipline Experience building out a multidisciplinary production organization Experience leading multi-level production operations teams with 50+ members Experience standing up a new production line and bringing it to rate Experience with chemical manufacturing processes including electroplating, chemical etching/deposition, coating application, layup/lamination, laser/mechanical processing, and/or electrical/quality testing in a production setting Experience in related fields such as wafer fabrication, silicon packaging/ingot production, SMT, battery, solar cell, or chemical manufacturing Experience with applying lean manufacturing principles Ability to adapt to constantly changing work environment ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Ability to travel on an ongoing basis, including internationally (up to 20%) Ability to stand up to 6 hours, lift 25 pounds unassisted, and maneuver around equipment in a factory setting Ability to work in cleanroom and industrial environments with fumes/odors, noise, hazardous chemicals, and confined spaces Must be willing to work all shifts, extended hours and weekends as needed 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 autho