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 MECHANICAL ENGINEER, HARDWARE RELIABILITY (STARLINK)
As a Lead Hardware Reliability Engineer at SpaceX, you will have the opportunity to utilize your knowledge, experience, and creativity to develop novel solutions at the cutting edge of space technology. You will work on the Starlink Product that will enable SpaceX to provide Wi-Fi Internet anywhere around the globe. You will own production quality for the dish, router, and SMT lines in the new Bastrop factory. You will own the quality landscape including defect processing, MRB, and containments, and take a lead role in the execution of the reliability demonstration test matrix to prove out new production lines.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead and mentor a small team of engineers and quality specialists focused on production quality and root cause for Starlink Dish, Wi-Fi routers, and Power Supplies
- Oversee containments, MRB (material review board), quality metrics, training, and applicable command media for factory compliance
- Enforce quality requirements, and develop process specifications to increase first pass yield
- Identify inefficiencies, and drive process improvements accordingly
- Create a collaborative environment with supply chain, production, and engineering to define necessary processes, space layout, and success criteria (i.e. root cause, refurb cycle time)
- Collaborate with EIS to implement automated tools to aid execution of set tasks
- Develop individual team members by enabling opportunities suited to each individual that align with the strategic goals of the Starlink Product program
- Allocate resources appropriately to ensure successful day-to-day operations to process customer returns, troubleshoot failures and refurbish units and support production quality milestones
- Maintain ISO9001 certification as required
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
- 2+ years of executing complex projects in team environments
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master’s degree in electrical, mechanical, materials, chemical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering
- Experience with high-volume manufacturing
- Demonstrated experience training and mentoring junior engineers
- Demonstrated experience working in a highly adaptive and iterative environment
- Ability to influence other organizations through strong engineering/business rationale and data
- Ability to effectively organize, assign and track work/deliverables
- Ability to define scope of work independently and execute accordingly
- Ability to identify and analyze production process improvements for rate and quality
- Experience with PCB, PCBA and Electromechanical assembly processes
- Working experience in an AS9100 or equivalent quality system
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
- 2+ years in a leadership position leading a team of 5+ people
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to work extended hours, weekends, and offsite as needed
- This position is located onsite in Bastrop, TX and will require relocation if not local to the area. Remote or hybrid work is not available
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 [email protected].
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
- 2+ years executing complex projects in team environments
- Ability to work extended hours, weekends, and offsite as needed
- Position located onsite in Bastrop, TX; relocation required if not local; remote or hybrid not available
- Must meet ITAR eligibility (U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible for required State Department authorizations)
- Master's degree in electrical, mechanical, materials, chemical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering
- Experience with high-volume manufacturing
- Demonstrated experience training and mentoring junior engineers
- Demonstrated experience working in a highly adaptive and iterative environment
- Experience with PCB, PCBA and electromechanical assembly processes
- Working experience in an AS9100 or equivalent quality system
- 2+ years in a leadership position leading a team of 5+ people
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to define scope of work independently, organize and track deliverables, and influence cross-functional teams with data-driven rationale
SpaceX Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about SpaceX and has not been reviewed or approved by SpaceX.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity grants are a core part of total compensation, with periodic company-run tender offers that create liquidity before any public listing. These mechanisms can make the equity component feel materially valuable in practice.
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Healthcare Strength — The package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with on-site clinics and health resources at major sites. This breadth of coverage is presented as a strong element of the offering.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Major locations feature on-site amenities such as fitness facilities, food/coffee, clinics, and other conveniences. These lifestyle perks enhance day-to-day value alongside cash and equity.
SpaceX Insights
What We Do
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space transportation, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary. SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company ever to return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, which it first accomplished in December 2010. The company made history again in May 2012 when its Dragon spacecraft attached to the International Space Station, exchanged cargo payloads, and returned safely to Earth — a technically challenging feat previously accomplished only by governments. Since then Dragon has delivered cargo to and from the space station multiple times, providing regular cargo resupply missions for NASA.
