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Lead Hardware Reliability Engineer, Gateways (Starlink)

Bastrop, TX

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 HARDWARE RELIABILITY ENGINEER, GATEWAYS (STARLINK)

Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation that provides fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. We design, build, manufacture, and operate all parts of the system including thousands of satellites, ground antennas, and millions of customer kits. Our customers currently include teachers in the most remote parts of the Amazon, researchers in Antarctica, digital nomads who travel via RV, emergency responders, commercial airlines, cruise lines, and residential users who live in more rural or developing areas. While users can get online within minutes almost anywhere in the world, we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential. We are looking for a Lead Hardware Reliability Engineer to help maximize Starlink’s utility for individuals, communities, and businesses.

The Lead Engineer of the Gateway Hardware Reliability team is a multi-disciplinary role responsible for developing the team, infrastructure, equipment, and strategy to rigorously test a complex RF ground station antenna. The scope of work includes collaborating with a design engineering team to identify and mitigate in house production and process failure modes to ensure all hardware is built to the highest quality standards. This fast-paced team will work closely with the field reliability engineering team to minimize field failures, perform robust failure analysis, and implement corrective actions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Leadership Responsibilities:
    • Lead a staff of up to 6-8 engineers responsible for scoping, prioritizing, and executing projects to address product field reliability risks, anomalies in test, build quality escapes, field performance, and operational inefficiencies
    • Be the primary point of contact for design engineering and production on key issues critical to program success. Ensure appropriate resources are allocated to each and status and results are clearly communicated
    • Develop and execute on growth objectives and plans with individuals directly and via coaching
    • Build relationships with partner teams across sites to develop a cohesive strategy within the Starlink organization
    • Align team goals and priorities with cross-functional leaders to achieve the objectives of the next generation Gateway program
  • Team Vision and Strategy:
    • Develop the steady-state charter, responsibilities, and ownership for Gateway Reliability as the programs mature
    • Develop, communicate, and uphold program expectations for reliability functions and quality management processes, such as nonconformance handling, traceability, change management, and retrofit execution This includes achieving and maintaining necessary certifications with external governing bodies such as the NSF
  • Reliability Test:
    • Develop a state-of-the-art hardware reliability lab capable to covering global environmental design criteria
    • Ensure Gateway Ground Antenna durability around the world in the harshest environments
    • Build an effective working relationship with RF Engineers, M&P and Design Engineers to develop performance measurement tools/equipment and align on performance requirements and success criteria
    • Ensure the team executes test campaigns in a timely manner with cost of quality in mind
  • Evaluate and Improve Reliability within Production:
    • Ensure test findings, escapes that cause downstream disruption, and issues related to product reliability are prioritized
    • Ensure Root Cause and Corrective Action investigations have appropriate support and/or leadership from your team
    • Ensure team runs necessary quality reviews focused on keeping product stakeholders aware of hardware issues and aligned on priority items
    • Promote proactive assessments of build-related hardware risks in order to implement improvements before they are realized in test or in the field

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
  • 4+ years of experience in an engineering role within design qualification, manufacturing, reliability test, or production environment

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • 1+ years of experience with direct report management in a technical leadership role
  • Experience bringing up highly reliable electronics from design, through testing, to end production
  • Experience supporting production of complex assemblies and associated test systems in both rate and development stages of their product lifecycle
  • Professional engineering experience with, or related to RF, microelectronics, power electronics
  • Knowledge of quality tools such as Lean principles, Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Action, Metrology, Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), Control Plans, and various problem-solving approaches
  • Dedicated to adopting a Lean approach to quality without compromising safety or reliability

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • Ability to work extended hours as needed to support critical milestones. Some travel may be required

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. 

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