Lead Supplier Development Engineer; Starlink

Overview

Location:

Redmond, WA

Company:
SpaceX – actively developing technologies to make humanity a multiplanet species, with ultimate goal enabling human life on Mars.

Role:
Supplier Development Lead – responsible for developing high‑performing suppliers for Starlink Satellite and Gateway products, ensuring reliability, cost, and delivery to industrialize electronics hardware.

• Build and lead a team focused on supplier development for Starlink Satellite and Gateway products.
• Collaborate with supply chain, engineering, design, operations, and production to maintain consistent policies and processes.
• Drive supplier reliability initiatives:
  • Implement production part approval plan (PPAP) for hardware production qualification.
  • Analyze supplier quality data and partner with supplier development engineers to drive improvements.
  • Create, improve, and implement supplier quality and manufacturing processes.
  • Review supplier issues and recommend appropriate actions.
  • Coordinate with receiving, inspection, and quality engineering to purge suspect/non‑conforming material.
  • Participate in issue creation, root‑cause analysis, failure analysis, and corrective action (8D).
  • Oversee supplier audits to ensure part performance, delivery, and reliability expectations.
• Manufacturing and industrialization support:
  • Understand production processes and integration of purchased parts into higher‑level assemblies.
  • Implement Design for Manufacturing (DFM) feedback into designs.
  • Develop, analyze, and present process metrics to promote manufacturability, quality, and supply‑chain improvements.
  • Improve supplier processes for bottlenecks, yield, and throughput targets.
• Manage supplier workflow and projects to align priorities with business needs.
• Develop schedules and plans to bring up new parts and processes; support supplier execution against timelines.
• Lead, track, and improve supplier manufacturing process development and launch readiness for new products and changes.
• Process improvement: develop/implement/continually improve business processes for receiving inspection, nonconforming hardware, manufacturing, assembly, product traceability, and related systems.
• Leadership: create action plans for localized and systemic breakdowns; build relationships across functional groups; work with site leadership on future business models; conduct training on quality policies; mentor a team of engineers.

• 3+ years of experience in an engineering, supply‑chain, or quality role.

• Experience with PCB fabrication, SMT, advanced packaging, electronics manufacturing, and qualification.
• Experience with PPAP (Production Part Approval Process).
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar training/experience.
• Experience with capacity modeling, process mapping, and fault analysis.
• Experience with Pareto analysis, root cause, and corrective actions.
• Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Material Resource Planning (MRP) systems.
• Hands‑on experience with electromechanical manufacturing techniques.
• Basic proficiency with SQL, Tableau, and database structures.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, cross‑functional environment, both independently and with a team.
• Ability to quickly learn new skills onthe‑job.
• Strong communication and technical skills.

• Position may involve long hours and weekend work as needed.
• Position may involve up to 60% travel.
• Position is based in Redmond, WA and requires on‑site presence.

• Pay Range – Level 3: $ – $.
• Total rewards package includes base salary, potential long‑term incentives, discretionary bonuses, stock purchase plan, medical/vision/dental coverage, 401(k) plan, short‑ and long‑term disability, life insurance, paid parental leave, 3 weeks paid vacation, 10+ paid holidays, paid sick time as per Washington State law, and company shuttles to the Redmond office.

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees, or otherwise eligible for U.S. Government export authorizations.

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

Note:

This position is active and not expired.