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, RACK COMPONENTS, COOLING/MECHANICALS (STARLINK)
We are seeking a world-class Sourcing Manager to own end-to-end sourcing strategy, supplier management, and delivery of rack-level cooling and mechanical components for SpaceXAI compute and network hardware. In this role you will partner deeply with responsible engineers, thermal architects, and rack mechanical teams to define commodity strategy, craft and optimize statements of work (SOW), aggressively challenge unnecessary specifications and costs, and drive rack hardware execution at extreme velocity and scale. You will elevate fabricator and cooling-OEM relationships 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 datacenter rack mechanicals and in-rack cooling, thrives in high-ambiguity/high-velocity environments, and turns the rack supply base into a core competitive advantage and force multiplier for SpaceX's AI infrastructure leadership.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Partner deeply with responsible engineers, thermal architects, and rack mechanical teams to co-define commodity strategy, multi-year technology roadmaps, and approved vendor lists for rack-level cooling and mechanicals — OCP / 21" and 19" rack frames and cabinets, doors and side panels, seismic and leveling kits, cable-management arms and blanking, rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx), in-rack manifolds and plumbing, drip pans and leak containment, rack-mounted CDUs where in-scope, in-rack fans and containment, dripless quick disconnects at the rack, PDU and busbar mounting hardware, and structural fasteners — anticipating SpaceXAI density and deployment requirements 12–24 months ahead
- Own global sourcing end-to-end for rack cooling and mechanicals, including supplier selection, qualification of sheet-metal / weldment / liquid-cooling fabricators, dual/multi-sourcing, 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 rack weldments, manifolds, and RDHx designs, secure aggressive pricing, dedicated manufacturing capacity, and flexibility without compromising structural, leak, and thermal standards required for SpaceX training clusters
- Drive continuous cost leadership through should-cost modeling of rack frames, doors, manifolds, and heat exchangers; design-for-manufacturability and design-for-assembly reviews; specification optimization; 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 rack and cooling factories and accurately assess stamping, welding, powder-coat, brazing/welding of manifolds, leak-test capability, financial health, and capacity before awarding NPI and production contracts
- Monitor global industry trends in high-density rack cooling (RDHx, in-rack manifolds, liquid-to-rack architectures, dripless couplings) and rack mechanical standards (OCP, EIA); partner with design teams to identify and mitigate long-lead, tooling, and sole-source risk before it hits cluster deployment
- Standardize and automate NPI-to-mass-production processes, implement inventory and WIP optimization models (including consignment and just-in-time tailored to SpaceX's build velocity), and establish clear KPIs for cost, quality, speed, leak/yield, and resilience that are reviewed weekly with leadership
- Lead supplier innovation programs- challenge and collaborate with vendors on modular rack packages, higher-capacity RDHx, optimized manifolding, faster install features, and next-generation in-rack cooling that accelerate SpaceX's hardware roadmap and reduce total cost of ownership
- Present value propositions to executives, including those related to contract award, tooling, cost reviews, and critical rack-hardware supply issues
- Build and maintain a world-class supply base through strategic relationships with rack OEMs, precision sheet-metal fabricators, RDHx and manifold suppliers, and quick-disconnect manufacturers; 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 mechanical sourcing with a focus on racks, cabinets, sheet metal, manifolds, or datacenter cooling hardware
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Deep technical understanding of datacenter rack mechanicals (OCP / EIA frames, doors, seismic kits) and in-rack cooling (RDHx, manifolds, dripless QDs, rack-level CDUs, leak containment)
- Proven track record sourcing rack, sheet-metal, or liquid-cooling commodities at hyperscale, at rack OEMs, or at cooling/mechanical suppliers (e.g. Vertiv, Rittal, nVent, CoolIT, Boyd, manifold and QD specialists)
- Hands-on familiarity with sheet-metal drawings, weldment specs, powder-coat, leak testing, hydrostatic test requirements, and the difference between rack-level vs. facility-level cooling scope (dry coolers, chillers, and plant CDUs are out of scope for this seat)
- 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, long-lead tooling, roadmap planning, 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 [email protected].
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in business, manufacturing, supply chain, or engineering, plus 6 or more years of relevant experience
- Alternatively, 9 or more years of relevant experience in business, manufacturing, supply chain, or engineering without a bachelor's degree
- At least 4 years of experience in global supply chain, commodity management, or mechanical sourcing focused on racks, cabinets, sheet metal, manifolds, or datacenter cooling hardware
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 25% as needed
- Ability to work onsite in Austin, Texas; remote work is not considered
- Must satisfy applicable ITAR export authorization requirements
- Experience with datacenter rack mechanicals and in-rack cooling
- Experience sourcing rack, sheet-metal, or liquid-cooling commodities at hyperscalers, rack OEMs, or cooling/mechanical suppliers
- Familiarity with sheet-metal drawings, weldment specifications, powder coating, leak testing, and hydrostatic testing
- Experience at hyperscalers, leading ODMs, Tier-1 contract manufacturers, or AI infrastructure companies
- Experience negotiating complex statements of work, challenging specifications and costs, and delivering under aggressive timelines
- Ability to read technical drawings, datasheets, fabrication drawings, BOMs, and related files
- Strong negotiation, analytical, project management, and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Familiarity with commodity management, long-lead tooling, roadmap planning, and approved vendor list processes
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
