SpaceX

Builds rockets and runs Starlink satellite internet

Lead Supply Chain Reliability Engineer

Quality EngineeringConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeWoodinville, WA, USA$130k - $180k /yr

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in engineering is required.
At least 3 years of experience in supplier quality engineering, quality assurance, or manufacturing engineering is required.
At least 1 year of professional experience leading people or projects is required.
Experience leading teams of engineers, specialists, or inspectors is preferred.
Six Sigma certification at Green Belt level or higher is preferred.
Expertise with root cause analysis tools such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, or 8D is preferred.
Experience leading supplier onboarding and surveillance audits is preferred.
Familiarity with aerospace or high-reliability manufacturing standards such as AS9100 or ISO 9001 is preferred.
Proficiency in data analysis tools such as Excel, Minitab, Power BI, or SQL, and quality management systems is preferred.
A track record of making quick, effective decisions in fast-paced, ambiguous environments is preferred.
Ability to interface with and influence organizational levels from shop-floor technicians to executive leadership is preferred.
Proficiency in risk identification, categorization, and mitigation is preferred.
Experience with quality metrics reporting, trend analysis, and initiating supplier improvement projects is preferred.
Hands-on experience with tactical quality execution, such as containments, part screening, and material returns, is preferred.
Willingness and ability to work extended hours and weekends as needed is required.
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of hourly inspectors and supplier quality engineers.
Ensure the team drives suppliers to awareness and compliance with quality and drawing requirements, and validate that requirements are clear, sensible, and effectively communicated.
Oversee hands-on resolution of quality issues, including running containments, screening parts, closing issue tickets, executing engineering dispositions for nonconforming product, issuing Supplier Corrective Action Requests, and driving issues to closure with objective evidence.
Generate quality metric reports and analyze historical trends to identify patterns in defects and performance.
Use insights to initiate targeted supplier improvement projects to reduce defects and improve quality.
Update existing procedures or develop new procedures to streamline inspections, audits, and quality processes.
Conduct and prioritize supplier audits, including onboarding audits for new suppliers and surveillance audits for incumbent suppliers.
Travel to supplier sites as needed to assess compliance and capabilities.
Identify, categorize, and proactively mitigate supply chain risks, ensuring robust strategies when issues arise.
Own preventive and corrective actions and make risk-based decisions quickly.
Communicate quality trends and data-driven recommendations to Supplier Development Engineers to influence design changes that improve design for manufacturability and design for inspectability.
Apply root cause analysis tools such as 5 Whys and methodologies such as Six Sigma to drive systemic quality improvements.

Desired Qualifications

Experience leading teams of engineers, specialists, or inspectors.
Six Sigma certification at Green Belt level or higher.
Expertise with root cause analysis tools such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, or 8D.
Experience leading supplier onboarding and surveillance audits.
Familiarity with aerospace or high-reliability manufacturing standards such as AS9100 or ISO 9001.
Proficiency in data analysis tools such as Excel, Minitab, Power BI, or SQL, and quality management systems.
A track record of making quick, effective decisions in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
Ability to interface with and influence organizational levels from shop-floor technicians to executive leadership.
Proficiency in risk identification, categorization, and mitigation.
Experience with quality metrics reporting, trend analysis, and initiating supplier improvement projects.
Hands-on experience with tactical quality execution, such as containments, part screening, and material returns.

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.

LEAD SUPPY CHAIN RELIABILITY ENGINEER (STARLINK AVIATION)

We are seeking a highly detail-oriented and decisive Lead Supply Chain Reliability Engineer to oversee a dynamic team focused on ensuring supplier compliance, driving quality improvements, and mitigating risks across the Starlink Aviation Supply Chain. This role leads both hourly inspectors performing documentation reviews, dimensional, and visual inspections, as well as engineers dedicated to upstream supplier quality initiatives. The ideal candidate thrives in ambiguous environments, excels at rapid decision-making, and interfaces effectively with all organizational levels to uphold rigorous quality standards and risk-based decision making.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead and mentor a team of hourly inspectors and supplier quality engineers
Foster a culture of accountability, ensuring the team drives suppliers to full awareness and compliance with all quality and drawing requirements while validating that requirements are clear, sensible, and effectively communicated
Oversee the team's hands-on resolution of quality issues, including running containments, screening parts, closing issue tickets, executing engineering dispositions for all nonconforming product, issuing SCARs (Supplier Corrective Action Request), and driving to closure with objective evidence
Generate quality metric reports and analyze historical trends to identify patterns in defects and performance
Leverage insights to initiate targeted improvement projects at suppliers aimed at reducing defects and enhancing overall quality
Update existing procedures or develop new ones to streamline inspections, audits, and quality processes
Conduct and prioritize supplier audits, including onboarding audits for new suppliers and surveillance audits for incumbent ones
Travel to supplier sites as needed to assess compliance and capabilities
Identify, categorize, and mitigate supply chain risks proactively, ensuring robust strategies when issues arise
Fully own preventive and corrective actions. Able to quickly make risk-based decisions
Communicate quality trends and data-driven recommendations to Supplier Development Engineers to influence design changes for improved design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for inspectability (DFI)
Apply root cause analysis tools (e.g., 5 Whys) and methodologies like Six Sigma to drive systemic quality enhancements

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in engineering
3+ years of experience in supplier quality engineering, quality assurance, or manufacturing engineering
1+ year of professional experience leading people or projects

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Experience leading teams of engineers, specialists, and/or inspectors
Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
Expertise in root cause analysis tools such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, or 8D
Experience leading supplier audits (onboarding and surveillance).
Familiarity with aerospace or high-reliability manufacturing standards (e.g., AS9100, ISO 9001).
Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Minitab, PowerBI, SQL) and quality management systems
Extreme attention to detail with a track record of making quick, effective decisions in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
Strong ability to interface and influence at all organizational levels, from shop floor technicians to executive leadership
Proficiency in risk identification, categorization, and mitigation
Experience with quality metrics reporting, trend analysis, and project initiation for supplier improvements
Hands-on experience with tactical quality execution (e.g., containments, part screening, material returns)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Willing and able to work extended hours and weekends as needed

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:
Lead Supply Chain Reliability Engineer: $130,000.00 - $180,000.00/per year

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 in Washington State accrue paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law. Company shuttles are offered to employees for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday.

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.

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and 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 [email protected].

About the Company

SpaceX

Builds rockets and runs Starlink satellite internet

SpaceX builds and launches reusable rockets and spacecraft for NASA, the military, and companies, and it runs Starlink, a satellite internet service for homes and businesses. In 2020, its Dragon capsule became the first privately built spacecraft to carry astronauts to the International Space Station. Its Falcon 9 rocket lands its first stage so the booster can fly again, which cuts launch costs, while Starlink beams internet from low-orbit satellites to small dishes for a monthly fee. SpaceX also owns xAI, maker of the Grok chatbot and owner of the social network X, and is building Starship, a fully reusable rocket meant to carry people to the Moon and Mars. Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, and it is based in Starbase, Texas.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Starbase, Texas
Founded: 2002

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