Manager, Supplier Development Engineering

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.

MANAGER, SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING

This manager will lead Supplier Development Engineering for Starship pads and launch sites and for Falcon/Dragon flight hardware, including the non-flight hardware those programs depend on. The role owns the engineering organization that removes reliability risk before it reaches the launch site or the vehicle, builds a supply chain that scales with flight rate, and develops a vendor base that sustains process stability and part conformance.

The work sits at the intersection of design, manufacturing, and supply chain. Success depends on early technical influence: locking requirements that suppliers can build to, stabilizing supplier processes for quality, throughput, and delivery, and keeping downstream operations free of escaped risk and undue delay. The manager will set a clear reliability vision, align it with cross-functional leadership, and turn that vision into goals the team can execute quickly.

This is a hands-on leadership role. The manager will build and direct complex, multi-disciplinary teams, develop engineers from entry level through seasoned staff, and move ambiguous problems to a decision the team can act on. The position also carries program-level scope alongside Starship and Falcon leadership: shaping supply-base strategy, driving cost out of the chain, and standing up the processes that let non-flight and flight hardware scale with technical excellence.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Partner with other supply chain verticals, engineering leadership, and production management to find improvements, set a fast-operating cadence, and retire supply risk before it affects vehicle reliability.
• Partner directly with engineering and supply chain leadership to align design requirements, technical improvements, and simpler supply chain processes that remain reliable.
• Set strategic and tactical goals and lead the initiatives that meet production and engineering expectations.
• Lead supply chain engineering teams against shared cost, quality, and delivery goals, and reset those goals as the program plan changes.
• Set the standards suppliers must meet for at-rate delivery and align those standards with supplier leadership.
• Own execution from the time the part leaves the supplier until it arrives at the job site or specified production area.
• Lead change management for supply chain so conforming parts are introduced on time and at rate.
• Identify insource, outsource, and supplier-capacity options that protect rate.
• Drive the team to meet its deliverables and expectations and make decisions quickly when the work stalls.
• Build reporting procedures and systems that show leadership and the team reliability progress, help needed, and opportunities for improvement.
• Identify process, system, and training improvements that produce a measurable result, and delegate execution across the team.
• Review KPIs with the team and adjust initiatives to keep the work on plan.
• Champion cross-functional technical cost-reduction projects with sourcing leadership.
• Resolve ambiguous issues without waiting for direction, using the resources the team already has.
• Give the team both a program-level and a part-level view of quality risk and lead the work that reduces that risk.
• Be the voice of this team with Falcon and Starship leadership, keep Supply Chain in the decisions that set program direction, and earn the trust that turns those priorities into committed work.
• Build a team people compete to join: weekly one-on-ones with every direct report, and a development plan that stretches each person into the next level of the job.
• Hire for this team with a high bar. Bring in people whose technical judgment and ownership will raise the standard for everyone around them.
• Prepare the next set of leads before you need them, keep the people you cannot afford to lose, and grow individual contributors until the team can carry the work without a single point of failure.
• Make collaboration, respect, transparency, straight problem solving, and integrity the way this team operates, and protect that standard when the pressure is highest.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
• 8+ years of experience working in one or more of the following:
• Engineering
• Purchasing
• Contract negotiation
• Material or production planning
• Operations or supply chain management
• Material cost control
• Master production scheduling
• 3+ years of experience leading a team with direct reports

PREFERRED SKILLS:

• 8+ years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, technical procurement or supply chain management
• Strong technical understanding of MRP systems
• Experience with BOM management within TeamCenter
• Experience sourcing and managing medium-complexity machined components
• Highly-collaborative team player with impeccable attention to detail and strong verbal, written, and presentation skills
• Excellent problem solving, critical thinking, and troubleshooting skills with a bias for speed without sacrificing quality
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships across disciplines
• Ability to work independently or collaboratively while managing multiple critical priorities and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced, loosely-structured environment
• Advanced skills in MS Excel (ability to create pivot tables or macros, and analyze data)
• Experience with SQL and Power BI
• Conducts all activities with the highest integrity

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to pass Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral
• Must be able to travel - up to 60-85% work week travel may be required, including international travel
• Must be able to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to meet major milestones
• This position is based in Cape Canaveral, FL, and requires being on-site - remote work not considered
• Valid driver’s license

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.