← All roles

Supplier Development Engineer, Materials & Special Processes (Falcon & Dragon)

SpaceX· Supply Chain Management
Apply on company site
Hawthorne, CA$100k - $140k + equity + bonusFull-timePosted 2mo ago

About the role

Technical supplier development role focused on materials and special processes for SpaceX Dragon and Falcon programs, combining process engineering, new product introduction, and supplier quality to enable high-volume, high-mix aerospace manufacturing.

Responsibilities

  • Act as the technical point of contact for outsourced specials processes and consumables such as paints, adhesives, and chemicals, solving emergent challenges at suppliers and mitigating risk to the manifest by addressing high-impact manufacturing and quality challenges
  • Review issues on assigned parts and solve to the root cause, implementing changes at the supplier, at SpaceX or both, as appropriate, drive further actions to closure, and re-source to new suppliers where appropriate
  • Create and disposition issue tickets where needed, working with engineering counterparts to implement, but not limited to, required re-work, repair, or use as-is disposition
  • Become thoroughly familiar with your assigned products and processes that make up the overall assembly and become the primary point of contact for supply chain related defects
  • Work with procurement to find exceptional suppliers and vet them appropriately for quality and ability to meet our aggressive takt times
  • Conduct design for manufacturing (DFM) reviews to ensure parts are manufacturable at early stages, preferably prior to sourcing
  • Own the new product introduction (NPI) process at a supplier for new parts, drawing changes, or when re-sourcing existing parts to a new supplier
  • Drive the production part approval process (PPAP) program to ensure stable supply, reduce inspection oversight, and improve overall delivery time
  • Demonstrate innovation, technical excellence, attention to detail, self-direction, and courage
  • Drive for results and customer satisfaction by collaborating with teams, leading projects, and continuously driving improvement in the supply base
  • Lead containment activities on assigned parts, working with cross-functional counterparts to agree on scope, path forward, and ultimate resolution

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
  • 1+ years of experience in a manufacturing or process engineering role (including school projects, clubs, or internships)
  • Experience in special processes such as thin film coatings, thermal spray coatings, chemical processing, plating, thermal protection systems and/or similar products/processes

Skills

Required:Consumables & special processes knowledgeDFM / DFM reviewsNPI / PPAP ownershipRoot cause analysis
Nice to have:Supplier management & QA processesStatistical methods / Lean / Six SigmaCommunication & cross-functional collaboration

Benefits

  • Long-term incentives (stock or long-term cash awards)
  • Discretionary bonuses
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • Medical, vision, and dental coverage
  • 401(k) retirement plan
  • Short and long-term disability insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Paid parental leave
  • 3 weeks of paid vacation and 10+ paid holidays per year
  • Paid sick leave (policy-based)
Last updated Jul 29, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About SpaceX

defense-aero-and-safetysetter-30setter-30-2026-q1wing-list-2026wing-list-2026-giga-stage
Company profileWebsite

More open roles at SpaceX