Overview As a Supplier Development Engineer in SpaceX Manufacturing, you enable supplier quality and manufacturability for Falcon and Dragon parts. You will lead cross-functional efforts to resolve high-impact manufacturing and quality challenges, drive supplier improvements, and help ramp new parts to stable production. The role blends hands-on machining/assembly knowledge with DFx, PPAP, and risk mitigation to support Mars-focused programs. You will work with suppliers and internal teams to optimize manufacturability, lead times, and cost while upholding aerospace quality standards.
Compensation / Benefits- comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
- 401(k) retirement plan
- paid parental leave
- paid vacation and holidays
- discretionary bonuses and stock purchase eligibility
- employee discounts and other perks
Responsibilities- Act as the technical contact for assigned parts, addressing high-impact manufacturing and quality challenges at suppliers and mitigating risk to the production plan
- Investigate issues, determine root causes, implement changes at supplier or SpaceX, drive closure actions, and re-source if needed
- Lead engineering-driven improvements to parts and drawings to reduce defects, improve manufacturability, lead times, and cost
- Create and disposition issue tickets with cross-functional support for re-work, repair, or disposition as-is
- Develop deep familiarity with assigned parts and their processes to become the go-to source for supply-chain defects
- Collaborate with procurement to identify and qualify exceptional suppliers meeting aggressive takt times
- Conduct design for manufacturing reviews early in the process to ensure manufacturability prior to sourcing
- Own NPI for new parts and assemblies, selecting manufacturing methods, evaluating suppliers, and enabling ramp-to-rate for changes or re-sourcing
- Drive the production part approval process (PPAP) to stabilize supply, reduce inspection needs, and improve delivery
- Demonstrate innovation, technical excellence, and risk-taking to advance aerospace manufacturing capabilities
- Lead containment activities with cross-functional teams to define scope and resolution
Key requirements- Bachelor's degree in engineering
- 1+ years of manufacturing and/or inspection experience in a production environment (including school projects, clubs, or internships)
- strong written and verbal communication
- cross-functional collaboration
- problem-solving discipline (8D mindset)
- machining and ancillary operations (milling, turning, drilling, cutting)
- engineering drawing interpretation and GD&T
- supplier technical capability assessment (equipment, operations, personnel)
