SpaceX
Supplier Development Engineer, Mechanical (Falcon & Dragon)
About this role
SpaceX seeks a Supplier Development Engineer to support Falcon and Dragon programs by managing supplier relationships, solving manufacturing challenges, and ensuring quality for machined rocket components. This cross-functional role demands technical expertise in mechanical design, production processes, and supplier quality management to enable aggressive scaling and mission success.
What you'll do
- Serve as technical point of contact for assigned parts, resolving supplier manufacturing and quality issues that impact production schedules
- Conduct root cause analysis on defects, implementing corrective actions at suppliers or internally, and re-source to new suppliers when necessary
- Drive design for manufacturing (DFM) reviews and product improvements to reduce defects, improve manufacturability, and lower costs
- Lead new product introduction (NPI) for new parts and assemblies, selecting manufacturing methods and vetting suppliers for quality and schedule compliance
- Own production part approval process (PPAP) program execution to stabilize supply and reduce inspection burden
- Lead cross-functional containment activities and collaborate with procurement to identify and qualify exceptional suppliers
What they're looking for
- Machining processes (milling, turning, drilling) and metallic component manufacturing
- GD&T and engineering drawing interpretation
- Supplier quality systems (PPAP, APQP, FAIR, ISO 9000, AS9100, NADCAP)
- Root cause analysis and problem-solving methodologies (8D, PFMEA, Pareto analysis)
- CAD/3D modeling and technical communication
- MRP/ERP systems and data analysis (SQL, PowerBI preferred)
- Statistical methods and quality tools (Six Sigma, design of experiments)
- Supplier technical capability assessment and management
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SpaceX
SpaceX develops advanced spacecraft and satellite systems, including the Starshield government satellite constellation and Starfall re-entry cargo capsule for global delivery. The company is hiring engineers in avionics integration, software test automation, mechanical design, and hardware reliability to validate flight-critical systems and ensure mission success.
- Website
- spacex.com
Likely interview questions
- Describe your experience managing supplier relationships through a product design change or introduction at rate—what challenges did you encounter and how did you resolve them?
- Walk us through a time when you identified a manufacturing defect in production; what root cause analysis method did you use and how did you implement corrective action?