
Quality Specialist, Precision Machining (Starlink) - Level 4/5
SpaceX · Woodinville, WA
- Level
- Specialist
- Team
- Quality
- Travel
- 10%
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A specialist quality role at SpaceX (aerospace & defense) in Woodinville, WA. Design, set up, and install tooling and fixtures on CMMs to support advanced inspection requirements.
- They ask for
- 5+ years
- Tools it names
- Lean, Root cause, FMEA, Control plans, GD&T, DOE
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage · about 10% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in Washington: typical posted base $100k–$135k.
Median of the low and high ends of 17 live postings that list pay, out of 26 quality engineer openings in Washington, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Washington plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 25 other live quality postings in Washington.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (5+ vs 3+)
Typical $100k–$135k, from 17 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 3+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 100%
- ✓ Lean 88%
- AS9100 58%
- New product launch 58%
- Six Sigma 54%
- Supplier quality 54%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at SpaceX
We found 9 people at this company and state: 6 in this kind of role, 2 leaders, 1 recruiters. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Robin → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: SpaceX in Woodinville
13 other open roles at this site · 9 people we found in quality roles at SpaceX.
- Industrial Maintenance Technician (Starlink) - 2nd Shift - Level 4/5 · Reliability · Technician
- Entry Level Production Technician (Starlink Aviation) · Production · Technician
- Hardware Reliability Specialist (Starlink Aviation) · Reliability · Specialist
- Supplier Quality Specialist (Starlink Aviation) · Quality · Specialist
- Sr. Hardware Reliability Engineer (Starlink Aviation) · Reliability · Senior
- Business Operations Manager (Starlink Aviation) · Production · Manager
Full description from SpaceXAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Sustain and increase scope in production areas
- ◆Propose and support the implementation of changes to inspection processes that reduce processing time without sacrificing quality or reliability
- ◆Research, prototype, and implement new inspection tools that meet all design and business
requirements
including safety, quality, cost, and delivery
- ✓Drive inspection efficiency by identifying high-variance processes and standardizing/simplifying the inspection approach and acceptance criteria
- ✓Collaborate with inspectors, engineers, and shop subject matter experts to solve large-scale production challenges caused by inspection bottlenecks
- ✓Streamline and simplify data collection
requirements
for inspections
- ✓Develop training to enable higher-quality and more efficient inspections
- ✓Collect and analyze team feedback for opportunities to improve inspection processes
- ✓Design, set up, and install tooling and fixtures on CMMs to support advanced inspection
requirements
- ✓Develop and optimize advanced CMM programs using Calypso software for complex flight hardware geometries
- ✓Train and mentor inspectors and engineers on advanced GD&T interpretation and application per ASME Y14.5
Qualifications
- ✓High school diploma or equivalency certificate
- ✓5+ years of hands-on experience in quality, inspection, or manufacturing
Preferred skills and experience
- ✓Understanding of basic & advanced GD&T per ASME Y14.5
- ✓Hands-on experience with developing or prototyping new inspection tools
- ✓Experience with CMM operations
- ✓Ability to obtain CMM Programming levels 1–3
- ✓Advanced CMM Programming
- ✓Expert-level programming and optimization of complex geometries
- ✓Proficiency in Calypso CMM software
- ✓Ability to develop and validate advanced inspection programs for flight hardware
- ✓Design, setup, and installation of tooling and fixtures on CMMs
- ✓Ability to train and mentor others in GD&T interpretation and application
- ✓Familiarity with quality tools such as lean principles, design of experiments, root cause analysis and corrective action, metrology, process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA), control plans, and various problem-solving approaches
- ✓Comfortable working in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment with flight quality hardware
- ✓Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- ✓Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills
Requirements
- ✓Must be willing to work 1st or 2nd shift hours, overtime, and weekends as needed. Estimated shift times:
- ✓1 st shift (6:00AM – 4:30PM)
- ✓2 nd shift (4:00PM to 2:30AM )
- ✓Must be able to lift a minimum of 25 lbs. unassisted
- ✓Able to travel for short and extended trips as needed — up to 10% travel
requirements
of the law.
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 authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here .
qualifications
and will not be influenced in any manner 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.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com .
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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.
Quality specialist, precision machining (starlink) – level 4/5
The Precision Machining team in Woodinville is looking for a quality specialist to lead projects with a strong focus on efficiency, reliability, and compliance with our inspection processes. This role will support all inspection and quality systems within the Precision Machine shop.
Pay Range
Level 4: $46.50 - $57.00
Level 5: $52.00 - $64.00
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use
