Sourcing Manager, Board Mechanicals, Connectors (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, BOARD MECHANICALS, CONNECTORS (STARLINK) 

We are seeking a world-class Sourcing Manager to own end-to-end sourcing strategy, supplier management, and delivery of board-level mechanicals and connectors for SpaceXAI compute and network hardware. In this role you will partner deeply with responsible engineers, signal-integrity, and packaging teams to define commodity strategy, craft and optimize statements of work (SOW), aggressively challenge unnecessary specifications and costs, and drive connector and board-hardware execution at extreme velocity and scale. You will elevate relationships with connector OEMs and precision mechanical suppliers into true strategic partnerships that deliver unprecedented on-time delivery, quality, cost efficiency, and flexibility while powering SpaceX's record-breaking cluster deployment cadence. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in high-speed and power interconnects, thrives in high-ambiguity/high-velocity environments, and turns the connector and board-mechanical supply base into a core competitive advantage and force multiplier for SpaceX's AI infrastructure leadership.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Partner deeply with responsible engineers, signal-integrity, power, and packaging teams to co-define commodity strategy, multi-year technology roadmaps, and approved vendor lists for board mechanicals and connectors — high-speed I/O (OSFP, OSFP-XD, QSFP-DD, PCIe CEM, MCIO, SlimSAS, backplane and mezzanine), power connectors (including 48V, blind-mate, and busbar interfaces), CPU and accelerator sockets, DIMM sockets, cages and EMI hardware, standoffs, latches, ejectors, retention backplates, and related board-level mechanicals- anticipating SpaceXAI interconnect and density requirements 12–24 months ahead
• Own global sourcing end-to-end for connectors and board mechanicals, including supplier selection, qualification, dual/multi-sourcing on constrained high-speed and socket SKUs, capacity reservation, and performance governance to achieve on-time delivery and continuous lead-time compression while supporting SpaceX's aggressive cluster build cadence
• Define and negotiate transformative SOWs and commercial agreements that rigorously challenge unnecessary specifications, drive value engineering of connector footprints and mechanical stack-ups, secure aggressive pricing, dedicated tooling and capacity, and flexibility without compromising SI, power, and reliability standards required for SpaceX training clusters
• Drive continuous cost leadership through should-cost modeling of connectors, cages, and precision stampings/die-castings, design-for-manufacturability and design-for-assembly reviews, SKU rationalization, and long-term pricing agreements that meaningfully reduce total cost of ownership while accelerating time-to-scale
• Act as the supplier interface for all RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs; visit connector and precision-mechanical factories and accurately assess process capability (stamping, plating, molding, automated assembly), quality systems, financial health, and capacity before awarding NPI and production contracts
• Monitor global industry trends in high-speed interconnect (224G/448G, co-packaged and near-package copper), power-connector standards, socket roadmaps, and plating/materials constraints; partner with design teams to identify and mitigate sole-source, allocation, and obsolescence risk before it hits the board spin or the factory
• Work with supply chain engineers and component engineers to develop requirements for both NPI and production phases; drive second-source and footprint-compatible strategies without compromising SI or mechanical fit
• Standardize and automate NPI-to-mass-production processes, implement inventory models for long-lead connectors and custom mechanicals (including consignment and just-in-time tailored to SpaceX's build velocity), and establish clear KPIs for cost, quality, speed, yield, and resilience that are reviewed weekly with leadership
• Present value propositions to executives, including those related to contract award, tooling, cost reviews, and critical interconnect supply issues
• Build and maintain a world-class supply base through strategic relationships with connector OEMs (and their authorized channels), socket suppliers, and precision mechanical fabricators; run executive business reviews and performance scorecards that position SpaceX as the preferred high-velocity partner

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree and 6+ 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:
  • Business
  • Manufacturing
  • Supply Chain
  • Engineering
• 4+ years of experience in global supply chain, commodity management, or electronics sourcing with a focus on connectors, interconnects, sockets, or board-level mechanical hardware 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Deep technical understanding of high-speed I/O connectors, power connectors, CPU/accelerator sockets, DIMM sockets, cages/EMI hardware, and board-level mechanicals (standoffs, latches, retention)
• Proven track record sourcing connector and interconnect commodities at hyperscale, at server/network OEMs, or at connector OEMs (e.g. Amphenol, TE Connectivity, Molex, Samtec, Foxconn)
• Hands-on familiarity with connector drawings, plating specifications, SI/mechanical stack-up trade-offs, IPC standards, and the difference between catalog vs. custom interconnects
• Previous experience at hyperscalers, leading ODMs, Tier-1 CMs, or AI infrastructure companies with aggressive scaling demands
• Demonstrated success negotiating complex SOWs, challenging specifications and costs, and delivering results in ambiguous, high-velocity environments with extreme timelines and massive scale
• Experience reading technical drawings, data sheets, fabrication drawings, BOMs, and related files
• Strong negotiation, analytical, project management, and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Familiarity with commodity management, roadmap planning, allocation management, and approved vendor list processes in a manufacturing context
• Passion for SpaceX's mission and excitement about enabling the fastest AI infrastructure builds on Earth

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed (up to 25%) to support supplier factories, audits, and critical projects
• Ability to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to meet major cluster-deployment milestones
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment with rapidly evolving priorities and world-class execution speed
• This position is based in Austin, 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.