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Supplier Development Engineer, Mechanical (Falcon & Dragon)

SpaceX · Hawthorne, CA

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Level
Engineer
Team
Quality
Base pay
$100k–$118k
Travel
50%
Degree
Required
Experience asked
1+ years
Industry
Aerospace & defense
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

An engineer-level quality role at SpaceX (aerospace & defense) in Hawthorne, CA.

They ask for
1+ years · degree required
Tools it names
Six Sigma, Root cause, FMEA, PPAP, GD&T, DOE
Base pay
$100k–$118k
Day to day
about 50% travel

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

How this role compares

Against 163 other live quality postings in California.

Base pay
About 13% below similar roles

Typical $101k–$149k, from 79 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
Less than usual (1+ vs 5+)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ Root cause 78%
  • ✓ FMEA 56%
  • ✓ Supplier quality 48%
  • Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 43%
  • ✓ AS9100 41%
  • ✓ PPAP 39%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for Machining, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 1+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone on the team first.

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. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at SpaceX

    We found 8 people at this company and state: 6 on the team, 2 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓

  2. 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 Alina → (free)
  3. 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?
    • The posting says about 50% travel. Between which sites?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 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. 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 Hawthorne

47 other open roles at this site · 8 people we found on the quality team.

All 48 roles at SpaceX →
Full description from SpaceXAs posted on their careers site.Show

Responsibilities

  • ◆Serve as the technical point of contact for assigned parts, solving emergent challenges at suppliers and mitigating risk to the manifest by addressing high-impact manufacturing and quality challenges
  • ◆Review issues on assigned parts and solve to the root cause, implementing changes at the supplier, at SpaceX or both, as appropriate, drive further actions to closure, and re-source to new suppliers where appropriate
  • ◆Drive technical product improvements and related engineering drawing updates to reduce risk and potential defect opportunities as well as improve manufacturability, manufacturing lead times, and cost
  • ◆Review issues on assigned parts and solve to the root cause, implementing changes at the supplier, at SpaceX or both, as appropriate, drive further actions to closure, and re-source to new suppliers where appropriate
  • ◆Create and disposition issue tickets where needed, working with engineering counterparts to implement, but not limited to, required re-work, repair or use as-is dispositions
  • ◆Become thoroughly familiar with your assigned parts and the processes that make up the overall assembly and become the primary point of contact for supply chain related defects on your parts
  • ◆Work with procurement to find exceptional suppliers and vet them appropriately for quality and ability to meet our aggressive takt times
  • ◆Conduct design for manufacturing (DFM) reviews to ensure parts are manufacturable at early stages, preferably prior to sourcing
  • ◆Own the new product introduction of new parts and assemblies on the rocket, including determining the ideal manufacturing method, identifying and reviewing suppliers, and developing a reliable process for ramping to rate for parts that are new, undergoing drawing changes, or undergoing re-sourcing at a new supplier
  • ◆Drive the production part approval process (PPAP) program to ensure stable supply, reduce inspection oversight and improve overall delivery time
  • ◆Demonstrate innovation, technical excellence, attention to detail, self-direction and courage to push the technical envelope which is conventionally held in the industry.
  • ◆Drive for results and customer satisfaction by collaborating with teams, leading projects and continuously driving improvement in the supply base
  • ◆Lead containment activities on assigned parts, working with cross-functional counterparts to agree on scope, path forward and ultimate resolution

Qualifications

  • ✓Bachelor’s degree in engineering discipline
  • ✓1+ years of experience with manufacturing and/or inspection of mechanical products in a production environment (including school projects, clubs, or internships)

Preferred skills and experience

  • ✓Hands-on experience with machining and ancillary operations such as milling, turning, drilling and cutting of materials
  • ✓Experience with interpreting engineering drawings, models, and application of GD&T principles.
  • ✓Experience with assessing supplier technical capability both from an equipment, operations, and personnel perspective
  • ✓Knowledge of supplier quality processes (Production Part Approval Process, Advanced Product Quality Planning, First Article Inspection Reports, etc.)
  • ✓Experience with quality systems (ISO 9000/TS/AS9100/NADCAP) and MRP/ERP systems
  • ✓Disciplined approach to problem solving – i.e.8D
  • ✓Experience with 3D modeling/CAD software, and engineering drawing creation
  • ✓Experience with Pareto analysis, root cause, corrective action, and PFMEAs
  • ✓Proficient in SQL and PowerBI
  • ✓Knowledge of statistical techniques and methods (Minitab, design of experiments, Six Sigma, etc.)
  • ✓Ability to succinctly communicate status and needed actions, often urgently, to all levels of the organization
  • ✓Experience with sharing information and influencing others (strong written and verbal communication skills, able to liaise cross functionally, internally and externally, make presentations to team members and management)

Requirements

  • ✓Ability to travel: up to 40-50% work week travel
  • ✓Ability to work extended hours, some nights and/or weekends as needed to meet major milestones
  • ✓This position is based in Hawthorne, CA and requires being onsite - remote work not considered
  • ✓Valid driver’s license
Show full description ↓

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.

Supplier development engineer, mechanical (falcon & dragon)

SpaceX demands a new type of supply chain. We require our suppliers to provide premium quality with rapidly evolving designs at increasingly ambitious volumes. We are actively looking for candidates who possess comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing and quality tools and have unrelenting motivation to enable suppliers to succeed. This position will support our Dragon and Falcon programs and requires a combination of proven leadership and technical capabilities.

This is a highly technical and cross-functional position that requires practical experience in manufacturing engineering from new product development to stabilized production for the machined components and assemblies used in rockets and rocket engines. The ideal candidate will have a broad understanding of the machining and assembly of metallic components, along with its associated processes. This person should have a strong desire and ability to take on new challenges in unfamiliar areas to help enable our mission to Mars.

Pay Range

Level 1: $100,000.00 - $117,500.00

Level 2: $115,000.00 - $140,000.00

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 als

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