Hardware Reliability Engineer

Redmond, WA, United States

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.

HARDWARE RELIABILITY ENGINEER (STARLINK AVIATION)

Starlink is SpaceX’s ambitious goal to bring high quality internet to the globe by building a constellation of thousands of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) using our Falcon 9 reusable rockets. We are developing millions of devices for end users to link our customers to our satellites. As a Build Reliability Engineer on the Starlink Aviation team, you will be responsible for ensuring reliability and quality of the product through design, manufacturing, test, and end-use. You have the ability to dive deep into the details to identify, understand and solve difficult technical problems. You thrive in a hands-on environment and will spend time in the office, on the factory floor, and in the lab to connect the unconnected.

You do not need to meet 100% of the preferred qualifications to be considered. We encourage anyone who meets the basic qualifications and is interested in the role to apply – we are looking for enthusiastic, dedicated people to join our team, and want the opportunity to talk to you!

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsible partner with design engineering and manufacturing teams through product development and production to create quality plans for flight hardware, including identification of key characteristics, prototype testing for functionality and manufacturability, first article and detailed inspection planning, and consideration of past failures and lessons learned

Develop, implement and validate Lean test and inspection processes for new and existing products and process, ensuring that criteria are objective and that quality goals are consistently met

Monitor the success of products and processes through production ramp-up using a suite of quality and analysis tools

Conduct regular build quality reviews to ensure that design intent is achieved and well-communicated; identify opportunities for risk reduction and removal of complexity in designs and processes to improve manufacturability, collaborating with integrated product teams to drive improvements and address high-impact and repeating non-conformances

Execute projects to improve yield, processes, test coverage, quality, and reliability, partnering with design, software, test, manufacturing engineering, and production teams

Investigate failures in production to identify and mitigate the immediate and underlying root causes in order to reduce risk and improve reliability of designs and processes

Perform hands-on debugging and root cause analysis of structural and electrical systems on the Starlink Aviation system (phased-array, Wi-Fi, harnessing, and power supply PCBAs)

Drive resulting corrective actions to prevent factory escapes of defective hardware

Contain suspect or known non-conforming product, providing guidance to quality inspectors, technicians, shop supervisors and engineers to assist in quarantining and rework activities

Support the shop floor in continuous improvement and the advancing of a Lean, autonomous production system through creation of standard rework/repair guides, removal of redundant or unnecessary inspection, and improved control and optimization of critical processes

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline

1+ years experience in a manufacturing, quality and/or design engineering role (student project team or internship experience qualifies)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, enthusiasm for the team’s spirit of innovation and mission of improving reliability in cutting-edge technology

Programming experience in Python, C or SQL with an emphasis on data analysis and automation

Proven success with instituting statistical process control and conducting design of experiments to understand process dependencies in high volume production environments

Demonstrated capability to think creatively and solve complex problems with little to no supervision on schedule as an individual or as a member of an integrated team

Background in electrical engineering

Master’s degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or materials engineering

Knowledge of quality tools such as Lean principles, measurement systems analysis, design of experiments, statistical process control, root cause analysis and corrective action, process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA), control plans, and various problem-solving approaches

Experience in a fast-paced, iterative design environment within the consumer electronics, mobile handset, medical devices, marine, aerospace, or automotive industries

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to work extended hours, weekends, and offsite as needed

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Pay range: Build Reliability Engineer / Level I: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year Build Reliability Engineer / Level II: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00/per year Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation & will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Non-exempt Washington employees are eligible for sick leave in accordance with Washington's Sick Leave policies.

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 notify the Human Resources Department at (310) 363-6000.

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