Sr. Manufacturing Engineer, Machining (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. SR. MANUFACTURING ENGINEER, MACHINING (STARSHIP) As an engineer at SpaceX, you will have the opportunity to utilize your knowledge, experience, and creativity to develop novel solutions at the cutting edge of space technology. You will work on hardware that will deliver satellites into earth orbit, ferry humans to and from the international space station, and ultimately extend humanity’s reach beyond the earth and moon. You will own the relationship between our engineering and production teams. You will provide input into the design and development of new and existing hardware and take a lead role in manufacturing and integration within production on our current and next generation vehicles. RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead the development and expansion of in-house machining capabilities for the SpaceX Starship components team, ensuring the delivery of high-precision, mission-critical piece parts to factory assembly lines with unwavering quality and efficiency. Conduct advanced Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analyses on piece parts and assemblies, optimizing designs for seamless manufacturing, assembly, and testing while driving innovation in production scalability. Foster strategic feedback loops with downstream operations, including design, testing, and integration teams, to champion product success, enable rapid iterative improvements, and mitigate risks proactively. Oversee the investigation and resolution of quality issues from piece part inspections, authorizing dispositions for out-of-tolerance conditions through rigorous root-cause analysis, informed by comprehensive use-case evaluations, assembly impacts, and testing protocols. Spearhead the identification, procurement, installation, and ongoing maintenance of machine shop equipment, including calibration protocols, to sustain peak operational performance and compliance with industry-leading standards. Direct the overarching strategy for capital expenditures (CapEx), staffing models, equipment specifications, production layouts, training programs, and advanced machining processes, continuously evolving them to align with evolving mission objectives and technological advancements. Champion cost optimization and reduction initiatives across fabrication and manufacturing processes, leveraging data-driven insights to achieve significant savings without compromising quality or safety. Innovate and refine manufacturing and fabrication methodologies, techniques, and best practices, integrating cutting-edge tools and automation to enhance throughput, precision, and sustainability. Strategically recommend and implement enhancements to operational sequences, equipment utilization, and workflow efficiencies, resulting in measurable gains in productivity and resource allocation. Collaborate cross-functionally with other SpaceX machine shop facilities and external partners to harmonize capabilities, resolve capacity constraints, optimize scheduling, and cultivate a shared ecosystem of resources for enterprise-wide scalability. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or physics 5+ years of machining experience Experience with taking products from research and development into production PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: Master's degree or PhD in an engineering discipline 3+ years of experience in a leadership position in a manufacturing environment Experience setting up and operating state-of-the art machining equipment Well versed in standard machine shop manufacturing processes and set ups Experience operating CNCs, conventional lathe and mill machines, and other machine shop equipment used to manufacture high-precision parts Demonstrated proficiency in CNC programming (lathes and m