Supplier Development Engineer, Materials & Metals (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.

SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER, MATERIALS & METALS

Starship needs a supply base that can hold quality while designs change and rates go up. This role is the technical owner for materials and metals at our suppliers — raw material, processing, and special processes that fly on the vehicle.

You will take hardware from new product development through stable production across metal processing, finishing, welding, heat treatment, inspection, and related processes. You need a real materials or metallurgy foundation, judgment on the shop floor, and the willingness to pick up unfamiliar work when the mission requires it.

• Serve as the technical point of contact for materials commodities and processes, including raw material, welding, heat treatment, and finishing/coating

• Own development of raw-material commodities and related products: select the manufacturing method, identify and vet suppliers, and build a process that can ramp to rate

• Solve emergent supplier issues that threaten the manifest — high-impact materials, processing, manufacturing, and quality problems

• Lead containment on materials and process escapes: scope the risk, align on a path with engineering and supply chain, and drive it to close

• Get to root cause on materials and processing issues; implement fixes at the supplier, at SpaceX, or both

• Create and disposition issue tickets with engineering counterparts (rework, repair, or use-as-is)

• Drive requirement and drawing changes that cut defect risk, improve manufacturability, and reduce lead time and cost

• Partner with procurement to find capable suppliers and assess them for quality and takt

• Review supplier manufacturing processes and quality systems; push improvements and own follow-through

• Be the supply-chain owner for materials- and process-related defects on your commodities

• Bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering, metallurgy, or metallurgical engineering

• 1+ years of experience with R&D, manufacturing, or processing engineering role

• Experience with manufacturing, raw materials, special processes, castings, forgings, or sheet metal

• Experience with assessing supplier technical capability from an equipment, operations, and personnel perspective

• Knowledge of supplier quality processes (PPAP, APQP, FAIR,