Full-Time
Sourcing Specialist
Starship
SpaceX
10,001+ employees
Designs, manufactures, and launches rockets
No salary listed
No H1B Sponsorship
Texas, USA
In Person
Travel up to 50% (including international); onsite in Starbase, TX.
US Citizenship Required
 People & HR |
|---|
 Aerospace Engineering |
|---|
- Bachelor’s degree
- Conduct comprehensive supplier analysis to formulate a strategic sourcing plan that identifies new/suitable suppliers, optimize cost structures and proactively ensures continuity of supply based on macro market or industry trends.
- Manage the supply base by implementing a precise supplier stratification model and executing on a documented supplier management playbook
- Ensure health of supply base by evaluating and selecting suppliers based on capability, quality, reliability, and price competitiveness. Ensure supplier meets all critical measures of performance consistently by consistently executing on an operating plan with clear goals and control plans
- Analyze supplier operations to assess technical capability, equipment, and capacity for rapid deployment of new product development and long term production to implement a successful E2E product life cycle management strategy and process
- Direct and execute initiatives that support aggressive improvements in supplier quality, total cost effectiveness, enhanced service levels, improved coordination, delivery, pricing, lead-times, payment, risk compliance and other areas as identified
- Develop supplier score card to measure supplier performance against agreed upon key performance indicators; tracks compliance and supports formal management reporting to director and other members of senior management. Benchmark, track, and analyze annual performance metrics and sourcing trends against budget on a monthly basis to demonstrate continuous improvement and progress against strategic objectives
- Develop strong relationships with internal stakeholders, understanding their needs and consulting with them to build quality procurement strategies aligned to business requirements. Be the voice of reason and push engineering to make sound design decisions that are conducive to a high performing supply plan. Drive make vs. buy decisions for new products, implement the strategy across the product lifecycle from development, qualification, first article runs through stable production
- Execute sourcing strategies including development and execution of RFI’s and RFP’s, document bid events through correspondence to suppliers; develop selection criteria for suppliers in collaboration with cross-functional teams; conduct supplier negotiations/contracting and ongoing contract management
- Coordinate with engineering and quality organizations to determine cause of rejected material and to drive appropriate changes to ensure elimination/reduction of those quality issues
- Administer moderate to large contracts and independently negotiate with supplier’s contract terminology, pricing, technical requirements, scope and terms involving responsibility, liability, indemnification, intellectual property and export compliance
- Execute purchasing transactions within scope area by issuing purchase orders for SpaceX programs and ensure delivery. Manage all relevant master data in MRP to ensure accurate and complete information at all times
- Consult/advise buyer/planners on strategies and tactics to ensure their success and development. Provide high-level oversight and support to ensure operational success in tactical procurement execution
- Two or more years of professional experience in technical sourcing, procurement, or planning.
- Experience reading drawings and blueprints.
- Technical knowledge in a commodity (e.g. composites raw material, composite component manufacturing, machining, avionics, soft goods etc.)
- Experience in sourcing from a global supply base using various contractual models
- Proven success working on cross-functional new product introduction projects, completing cost models, and negotiating
- Familiarity with ERP systems and purchasing/planning functions
- Exceptional written, verbal and presentation communication skills
- Ability to identify and resolve technical, operational and organizational problems
- Detail-oriented, self-motivated and able to respond quickly to a fast-moving and ever-changing environment
- Able to conduct all activities with the highest of integrity
- Understanding of block-chain powered supply chain platforms to boost efficiency, traceability, and payment processing speeds
SpaceX designs, builds, and launches rockets and spacecraft for government and commercial customers, using reusable first stages to cut costs. Its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy recover their boosters to enable rapid reuse, while Dragon transports cargo and crew to the International Space Station. Starlink operates a satellite internet constellation to provide global broadband coverage. It earns revenue from launches and merchandise, with the broader goal of making space travel cheaper and, over time, enabling human life on other planets and expanding global internet access.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
Late Stage VC
Total Funding
$11B
Headquarters
Starbase, Texas
Founded
2002
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Starship can unlock Mars missions and heavy-lift government contracts.[4][7]
- Starlink’s scale supports recurring revenue from tens of thousands of satellites.[5][6]
- SpaceX’s launch cadence and mission record strengthen pricing power and customer trust.[2][6]
What critics are saying
- Starship development remains technically demanding and capital intensive.[4][7]
- Starlink faces regulatory scrutiny, spectrum constraints, and orbital-debris concerns.[5][7]
- NASA, Rocket Lab, and other rivals can win missions if reliability slips.[2][5]
What makes SpaceX unique
- Reusable Falcon and Starship rockets cut launch costs dramatically.[6][7]
- Starlink gives SpaceX a global broadband business beyond launch services.[5][6]
- Deep vertical integration spans engines, capsules, avionics, and mission software.[6][7]
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Your Connections
People at SpaceX who can refer or advise you
Benefits
Benefits and Perks - Our employees’ well-being is important to us and essential to our capacity to do extraordinary things. We offer a wide variety of programs to support the health, wellness, and financial security of our employees and their families.
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↑ 0%Elon Musk's xAI, SpaceX face class action lawsuit. Elon Musk's companies, xAI and SpaceX, are facing a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by residents in Mississippi who allege that a massive power plant supporting nearby artificial intelligence data centers has created unbearable levels of noise, disrupted their daily lives, and reduced the value of their properties. The case marks another legal challenge tied to the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and its impact on surrounding communities. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Oxford, Mississippi, by three residents seeking to represent a class of more than 10,000 people living near the facility. The complaint names xAI, SpaceX, and xAI subsidiary MZX Tech as defendants, alleging that the companies negligently failed to prevent excessive noise generated by the gas-powered turbines that supply electricity to the data centers. Elon Musk himself was not named as a defendant. According to the plaintiffs, the turbines produce constant and intrusive sounds that can be heard day and night. The lawsuit describes the noise as "omnipresent and inescapable," arguing that residents have suffered emotional distress, sleep disturbances, and a loss of enjoyment of their homes. They also claim the continuous noise has negatively affected local property values and transformed peaceful neighborhoods into areas affected by industrial activity. The power facility was developed to support xAI's growing data center operations in Southaven, Mississippi. The project is part of a broader effort to build the large-scale computing infrastructure necessary to power advanced AI systems. As demand for artificial intelligence increases, technology companies are constructing increasingly powerful data centers that require enormous amounts of electricity and cooling resources. The lawsuit argues that the rapid growth of AI infrastructure has created new environmental and quality-of-life concerns for nearby communities. The plaintiffs claim the companies placed the demands of AI development ahead of the rights of local residents by operating equipment that allegedly generates excessive noise around the clock. They accuse the defendants of creating a public nuisance and acting negligently by failing to adequately control the disturbances. The residents are seeking compensation for emotional distress, reduced property values, and other alleged damages. They are also requesting the disgorgement of unspecified profits connected to the operation, arguing that the companies should not financially benefit from activities that allegedly harmed surrounding communities. xAI and SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit. The case comes amid broader legal scrutiny of the companies' AI-related facilities. Earlier in 2026, the NAACP filed a separate lawsuit accusing xAI of violating environmental laws in connection with the same Mississippi facility and its operations. The U.S. Department of Justice later indicated it may intervene in that dispute due to broader legal and policy questions involving AI infrastructure. The lawsuit highlights an emerging legal conflict between the technology industry's race to expand artificial intelligence capabilities and the rights of communities located near large-scale data centers. As AI companies build larger facilities requiring significant power generation, courts may increasingly be asked to determine how much disruption nearby residents must tolerate. Public nuisance claims have historically been used to address activities that interfere with the public's health, safety, comfort, or use of property. In this case, the plaintiffs will need to prove that the alleged noise is unreasonable and that the companies' operations directly caused the harms they describe. The outcome of the case could influence how technology companies design and operate future AI facilities. A ruling favoring residents may encourage stricter noise controls, additional environmental reviews, or greater community engagement before new AI data centers are developed. Although the lawsuit is still in its early stages and no court has determined whether xAI or SpaceX violated the law, the dispute represents a significant legal test over the environmental and community consequences of the expanding artificial intelligence industry. Key legal outcomes. * Mississippi residents filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against xAI, SpaceX, and MZX Tech. * The lawsuit alleges public nuisance and negligence caused by excessive noise from power turbines. * More than 10,000 residents may be included in the proposed class. * Plaintiffs seek damages for emotional distress, lower property values, and other alleged harms. * The case is in its early stages, and no court has ruled on the allegations. Why it matters. * The lawsuit is one of the first major legal challenges involving AI data center noise impacts. * It highlights the environmental and community costs of the AI expansion race. * The outcome could shape future regulations for large-scale AI infrastructure. * The case tests the limits of nuisance law in addressing modern technology projects. * It may influence how technology companies balance innovation with local community concerns. Janice Thompson Janice Thompson enjoys writing about business, constitutional legal matters and the rule of law.
SpaceX has secured a $4.16 billion contract from the U.S. Space Force to build a satellite network for detecting and tracking airborne threats from orbit. The award gives Elon Musk's company a central role in the Space Based Advanced Moving Target Indicator programme, designed to provide persistent tracking of aircraft and missiles worldwide. The contract follows a separate $2.29 billion Space Force award earlier this week for military satellite communications, bringing SpaceX's newly announced government contracts to approximately $6.45 billion. The deals underscore SpaceX's transformation from commercial launch provider to major defence contractor as the company pursues potential growth beyond its launch and Starlink businesses. The SB-AMTI system is expected to deploy an initial satellite constellation by 2028, providing military commanders enhanced battlespace awareness in contested environments.
Anthropic has agreed to pay SpaceX nearly $45 billion over three years for computing resources to support its Claude AI software, according to SpaceX's initial public offering paperwork. The deal involves monthly payments of $1.25 billion through May 2029, with reduced fees during the initial ramp-up period. The arrangement grants Anthropic access to over 300 megawatts of computing capacity from SpaceX's Colossus 1 data centre in Memphis, Tennessee, which houses more than 220,000 Nvidia GPUs. Anthropic has expanded the agreement to include Colossus 2, with plans to scale up Nvidia GB200 capacity throughout June. The partnership represents a significant boost for SpaceX, whose annual revenue currently sits around $18 billion. SpaceX indicated it expects to enter additional similar services contracts leveraging unused compute capacity.
Singapore Airlines picks Starlink for free inflight Wi-Fi. Singapore Airlines has selected Starlink as its next-generation inflight Wi-Fi provider, with installations beginning in Q1 2027. Free access will be available to all passengers in eligible cabins, with one small hoop for those in premium economy and economy. Two caveats are worth noting. The rollout takes nearly three years to complete, and a sizeable chunk of the fleet is excluded entirely. What was announced. Singapore Airlines confirmed on May 4, 2026 that it has selected SpaceX's Starlink to deliver inflight connectivity at speeds of up to 1 Gbps per antenna. That's an order of magnitude faster than the satellite connections most carriers offer today, and it puts the airline in the same bucket as American, United, Emirates, and Lufthansa Group, all of which have signed Starlink deals. Installations begin in Q1 2027 and are expected to wrap up by the end of 2029. The total fleet getting the upgrade is around 53 aircraft, which works out to roughly one-third of the airline's total passenger fleet. Which aircraft gets Starlink. Starlink installations are concentrated on Singapore Airlines' long-haul Airbus fleet. Three aircraft types are in scope: * Airbus A350-900 Long Haul: 34 aircraft * Airbus A350-900 Ultra Long Range: seven aircraft * Airbus A380-800: 12 aircraft Most transpacific flights from Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK), and Newark (EWR) are operated by an A350-900 Ultra Long Range, and all seven of those aircraft are in scope. The A380 still runs on a handful of premium routes, including the Frankfurt to New York fifth-freedom flight. Excluded aircraft are just as notable: * Airbus A350-900 Medium Haul: 24 aircraft * Boeing 777-300ER: 22 aircraft * Boeing 787-10: 28 aircraft * Boeing 737-8 MAX: 21 aircraft That's nearly 100 aircraft that won't see Starlink at all, including most of the regional and intra-Asia fleet. If your itinerary includes a Boeing 787-10 or 777-300ER segment, you'll be on the existing connectivity setup well past 2029. Who gets it for free. For premium economy and economy passengers, free access requires a KrisFlyer membership. KrisFlyer is free to join and signing up takes a couple of minutes, so this isn't a real barrier. It's worth doing before you fly anyway, since you'll also earn redeemable miles on the flight. Where's the catch. Two things take the shine off this announcement. First, the rollout takes almost three years, which is unusually slow for a Starlink deployment compared to other carriers that have moved faster on similar installs. Second, only about a third of the fleet is included. The Boeing 787-10, 777-300ER, and 737-8 MAX collectively handle most of Singapore Airlines' regional and medium-haul flying, and none of those flights will see Starlink under this program. How Canadians can reach a starlink-equipped flight. Most Canadians who fly Singapore Airlines do so via Aeroplan, which lets you book Singapore Airlines as a Star Alliance partner. The airline no longer flies to Vancouver, so you'll connect through a US gateway like Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Newark (EWR), or New York (JFK). Those transpacific flights are exactly the routes that get Starlink. The Airbus A350-900 Ultra Long Range operates Singapore Airlines' longest services, including the world's longest scheduled flight from Singapore to Newark, and all seven of those aircraft are covered. For Canadians collecting KrisFlyer miles via Marriott Bonvoy at 3:1, the Wi-Fi access is automatic when booking in Suites, first class, or business class. For premium economy or economy, sign up for KrisFlyer (it's free) before your flight and you're set. Conclusion. Personally, I'm a huge fan of fast inflight Wi-Fi. Once Starlink rolls out, I'd happily pick a Starlink-equipped A350 or A380 over a Boeing-operated alternative, even if the schedule is a bit less convenient. Being productive on an ultra-long-haul flight is a different experience entirely with proper bandwidth. If you're flying Singapore Airlines on a transpacific or transatlantic A350 Ultra Long Range or A380 sometime after Q1 2027, this is good news. You'll get fast, free Starlink connectivity, and the KrisFlyer signup requirement for economy is a non-issue. Just don't expect the same on a regional flight or a Boeing-operated route any time soon. The slow timeline and limited fleet coverage mean Singapore Airlines is bringing Starlink to a smaller slice of its flying than the headline announcement suggests. First-year value Monthly fee: $15.99 Welcome bonus 15,000 Membership Rewards points - Earn 1,250 points per month upon spending $750 per month for 12 months Earning rates 5xGroceries 5xDining 5xFood Delivery 3xStreaming 2xTransit 2xRideshare 2xGas 2xTravel 1xEverything Else * Transfer to airline and hotel partners
SpaceX successfully test-fired its Starship Version 3 vehicle this week, marking significant progress towards the rocket's 12th test flight targeted for early or mid-May. The upgraded spacecraft fired its six Raptor engines on a test stand in South Texas, followed by a 33-engine static fire of its Super Heavy booster directly on the launch pad, creating the most powerful rocket booster ever fired. Starship V3 features higher-thrust Raptor engines and increased size compared to previous versions. The upgrades are crucial for demonstrating in-orbit refueling capabilities needed to transform Starship into a human-rated Moon lander for NASA's Artemis programme. Meanwhile, Blue Origin is preparing to launch its third New Glenn rocket on 19 April from Cape Canaveral, using a reused booster for the first time.