Supplier Quality Specialist (Starship)

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.

SUPPLIER QUALITY SPECIALIST (SUPPLY CHAIN RELIABILITY)

SpaceX demands a new type of supply chain. We require our suppliers to provide premium quality with rapidly evolving designs at increasingly ambitious volumes. We are actively looking for candidates who possess comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing and quality tools and have unrelenting motivation to enable suppliers for success.

The Supply Chain Reliability team is chartered with global quality surveillance of the supply base, reducing supply chain risk through external evaluations and internal risk reviews, leading failure investigations and proactively driving source qualification activities. This position supports the Supply Chain Reliability team by managing tactical supplier quality activities with operational rigor, providing high service levels to all stakeholders, and allowing Engineering resources to focus on high-priority and proactive actions. This includes eliminating the impact of vendor-caused defects on SpaceX engineering and production through rapid defect containment, resolution, and corrective/ preventive action.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Improve the issue ticket landscape as it pertains to our specific products.
• Dissect the issue ticket landscape and identify specific actions to improve vendor performance.
• Own the non-conformances that are found at vendors (Supplier Deviation Requests) and non-conformances found in production.
• Partner with the vendors to institute new processes or actions to reduce the amount of issues and reduce supply chain risk.
• Improve our existing quality management processes while working with vendors to improve their performance.
• Manage our containment, receiving, and precision inspection non-conformances, and find a path of resolution for the non-conformances that exist.
• Identify ways to enhance and update the variables surrounding these processes, to reduce the total issue ticket landscape.
• Create improvements within SpaceX’s supply base to facilitate a more stable supply chain. 
• Provide technical support onsite at suppliers as appropriate to ensure part reliability.
• Work closely with Engineering, Procurement and Production teams to assure high quality parts and services that meet all requirements.
• Analyze quality metrics to identify trends and pinpoint systemic root causes. 
• Partner with Supply Chain Reliability Engineers to eliminate recurring non-conformances and ensure part reliability, including supplier improvement plans.
• Review and assess supplier manufacturing processes and quality systems, including new supplier onboarding and audit evaluation.
• Provide feedback as appropriate on manufacturing methods and technologies during supplier product lifecycle.
• Execute supply chain non-conformance management processes, including Supplier Deviation Requests (SDR), Material Review Board (MRB), Return to Vendor (RTV), supplier Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA), and production issue ticket review.
• Support containment actions associated with non-conforming product, including identification of product location, coordination with Supply Chain Reliability Engineers to mitigate Flight risk and actions required to drive root cause analysis.
• Cultivate network across SpaceX and build relationships with cross-functional groups to identify, reduce and ultimately eliminate impacts from vendor defects.
• Assist the team in developing policies, standards, processes, and documentation as necessary to ensure continued success.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or equivalency certificate.
• 2+ years of experience in an engineering, supply chain, manufacturing or quality-related field OR a bachelor's degree in engineering or supply chain in lieu of experience.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or supply chain.
• Experience with sharing information and influencing others.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to liaise cross functionally, internally and externally, make presentations to team members and management.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and technical requirements. 
• Deep technical domain experience in one or more commodity types, such as machined, avionics, or composite parts.
• Experience reading engineering drawings, including Geometric Dimension and Tolerance (GD&T).
• Experience with AS9100 or similar quality management system standard.
• Knowledge of supplier quality processes (Part or Supplier Approval Processes, First Article Inspection Reports, etc.).
• Direct experience interfacing with suppliers, corrective/ preventive action systems, supplier portals.
• Experience in a supplier development capacity.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications.
• Proficiency with lean concepts and statistical and data analytics.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Position may involve extended hours and weekend work when needed to meet critical deadlines.
• Must be able to travel - up to 25% work week travel.
• This position is based in Brownsville, TX and requires being onsite - remote work not considered.

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.