Supplier Development Engineer, Routers; Starlink

Overview

SpaceX is seeking a Supplier Development Engineer, Routers (Starlink) to drive end‑to‑end supplier development for the WiFi router portfolio in the Starlink User Terminal. The role involves supplier selection, equipment selection, and process engineering to enable high‑volume manufacturing, ensuring material and process readiness, on‑time delivery, field performance monitoring, issue response, and feeding lessons learned back to engineering and process teams for iterative improvement.

• Own end‑to‑end supplier development for the WiFi router and wireless module portfolio within the Starlink User Terminal bill of materials, including strategic supplier selection, new product introduction (NPI), qualification, production ramp, and reactive quality support
• Engage early with suppliers on selection, equipment selection, and process engineering to set up high‑volume manufacturing programs by ensuring material and process corners are fully characterized and completed
• Assess supplier manufacturing capabilities, process controls, and technical readiness for high‑volume production of WiFi routers, including PCB assembly for RF circuits, antenna integration and tuning, RF shielding, thermal solutions, and automated testing systems
• Lead NPI activities, production part approval process (PPAP), first article inspections (FAI), production rate ramps, and reliability campaigns to enable full‑rate, high‑volume manufacturing
• Develop and execute qualification plans tailored to WiFi routers, including RF conducted and radiated testing, OTA throughput validation, MIMO and MU‑MIMO performance verification, beamforming calibration, thermal throttling assessment, and EMI/EMC compliance
• Create and standardize qualification protocols across the WiFi router supply base, including equipment buy‑off checklists, FAT, SAT, and reliable demonstration methods
• Drive supplier performance improvement through Lean methodologies, supplier scorecards, process audits, and systematic problem solving to deliver measurable gains in quality, cost, and on‑time delivery
• Perform root cause analysis and lead corrective actions for quality issues, focusing on common WiFi router failure modes such as RF desense, antenna detuning, shielding‑related signal degradation, thermal‑induced WiFi instability, and interference from power electronics
• Provide reactive quality engineering support, including rapid containment, root cause analysis using 8D and 5‑Why methodologies, and corrective actions for quality escapes, field returns, and production issues
• Own on‑time delivery of qualification and production ramp activities while continuously monitoring field performance and feeding lessons learned from field data back to design and process engineering teams
• Collaborate with WiFi Router Design Engineering, RF Test Engineering, and Production teams to ensure supplier processes and manufacturing capability align with Starlink high‑volume product requirements and performance goals

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or other engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience in WiFi or RF engineering, quality engineering, reliability engineering, or supplier development (internship and extracurricular experience applicable)

• 3+ years of experience in WiFi or RF engineering, quality engineering, reliability engineering, or supplier development
• Strong technical background in IEEE 802.11 WiFi standards, RF hardware, antenna systems, and high‑volume manufacturing
• Hands‑on knowledge of high‑volume WiFi router manufacturing processes including SMT assembly for RF circuits, antenna tuning and integration, RF shielding, automated functional testing, and thermal…