Sourcing Manager, Capital Equipment, Construction, & Wastewater Treatment (Starlink)

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.

SOURCING MANAGER, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, & WASTEWATER TREATMENT (STARLINK)

At SpaceX we’re leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential global impact and are looking for best-in-class engineers to help maximize Starlink’s utility for communities and businesses around the world.

This role will support the design, construction, commissioning, and operation of large-scale, state-of-the-art Ultrapure Water (UPW) and wastewater treatment plants that enable our high-volume manufacturing operations (including one of the largest PCB manufacturing lines in North America and major solar cell manufacturing facilities). You will work closely with the wastewater engineering team and construction/facilities stakeholders to drive capital equipment procurement and construction services for complex industrial water treatment systems, including Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) facilities.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work directly with key internal stakeholders (wastewater engineering, construction, facilities, and operations) to develop and implement a comprehensive contract management process that ensures successful project execution for CAPEX and construction of wastewater and UPW systems
• Develop and execute equipment & services procurement strategies focused on wastewater treatment plants, ultrapure water systems, and associated construction projects
• Perform market analysis to determine should-costs and achieve the best purchasing deals for specialized equipment (e.g., membrane systems, RO, EDI/IX, evaporators, crystallizers, chemical systems, solids handling) and construction services
• Own end-to-end sourcing strategy and performance for major utility water systems, including:
• Industrial water systems (raw water intake/treatment, process water, ultrapure/deionized water generation, cooling tower operations, and closed-loop hydronic systems)
• Wastewater collection, treatment, and discharge (industrial wastewater, process effluent, deluge water treatment, stormwater management, and compliance with environmental permits)
• Define and implement long-term sourcing strategies to ensure reliable water supply, capacity, and cost-effective availability of raw water, process water, and treatment systems
• Create and negotiate contract documents in collaboration with the legal department for capital equipment, EPC contractors, and construction services
• Track and report projected and actual spend, assess budgetary risk, and provide clear budgetary analysis to enable timely management decision-making on multi-million dollar wastewater CAPEX projects
• Manage vendor and contractor relationships, ensuring clear communication, adherence to contracts, and resolution of performance or delivery issues
• Present value propositions to SpaceX management related to contract awards, cost reviews, cost reduction strategies, and critical supply issues for wastewater infrastructure
• Identify and execute cost reduction projects including planning, coordinating with stakeholders, estimating completion, and providing project updates
• Perform advanced quantitative and business process analyses to identify financial impacts of decisions, cost improvement opportunities, and performance for assigned wastewater and construction categories
• Create and implement supplier management programs to develop, continuously improve, manage performance of, and monitor KPIs of the supply base supporting wastewater treatment and construction
• Lead and execute Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for capital equipment, construction packages, and specialized wastewater treatment systems
• Place purchase orders and resolve blocked invoices related to assigned categories
• Develop and lead efforts to reduce the number of transactions while maintaining control and compliance

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of experience working in one or more of the following; OR 9+ years of experience working in one or more of the following in lieu of a degree:
• Purchasing/Procurement
• Engineering (chemical, environmental, or mechanical)
• Contract negotiation
• Operations or supply chain management
• Construction, facilities, or industrial plant management
• Wastewater treatment, water treatment, or industrial process systems

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Strong technical background to speak the language of engineers combined with strong business acumen for contracts and negotiations
• Experience with capital equipment procurement and/or construction project management for industrial water treatment, wastewater, or ultrapure water systems
• Knowledge of advanced wastewater treatment technologies (e.g., chemical precipitation, membrane filtration (TMF/UF/RO), EDI/IX, advanced oxidation, ZLD systems including evaporators and crystallizers)
• Construction project management experience and/or construction cost estimating experience, preferably on industrial or manufacturing facilities
• Experience managing large-scale industrial construction or CAPEX projects
• Strong budget tracking, cost analytical, and financial analysis skills
• Extensive project management and organizational skills
• Strong contract negotiation and document management skills
• Experience working with EPC contractors and multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Remarkable problem-solving skills with a bias for speed
• Quick learner with the ability to prioritize appropriately to meet customer and company needs
• Excellent customer service, written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
• Exceptional analytical and organizational skills
• Strong technical knowledge and skills in current tools (e.g., MS office suite, SQL, PowerBI, etc.)
• Ability to conduct all activities with the highest degree of integrity
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to respond quickly in a fast-moving and ever-changing environment
• Familiarity with environmental regulations and permitting related to industrial wastewater (EPA, NPDES, etc.) is a plus

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to travel and communicate outside of work hours – up to 20% work week travel may be required, including international travel
• Willingness to work long hours and weekends when needed to meet critical deadlines
• This position is based in Bastrop, TX and requires being onsite
• Ability to work in industrial environments (as needed for site visits)

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 EEOCompliance@spacex.com.