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Supplier Development Engineer, PCBA (Starlink)

SpaceX· Starlink - Supply Chain Engineering
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$100k - $165kFull-timePosted 3w ago

About the role

Supplier Development Engineer focused on PCBA photonics and related components for Starlink satellites, responsible for supplier qualification, quality improvements, PPAP, and cross-functional collaboration to enable production with targets on cost, quality, delivery, and cycle time.

Responsibilities

  • Own continuity of supply and improve quality, cost, delivery, and capacity metrics for photonic piece-part components and optical subassemblies used in Starlink Satellites
  • Collaborate with design, R&D, commercial supply chain, hardware reliability, materials, and manufacturing engineers to gain an in-depth knowledge of piece part, assembly, metrology, and/or sub-system design intent
  • Support the procurement team to strategically source parts matched with supplier competencies by reviewing and assessing supplier manufacturing processes and quality systems
  • Identify, audit, and onboard new suppliers
  • Create, define, and implement supplier technical and quality requirements based on program requirements and expectations for NPI and production phases
  • Lead resolution of supplier quality issues through root cause analysis, while functioning as liaison between purchasing, engineering, production, and suppliers
  • Define product technical requirements, and ensure supplier compliance with these requirements
  • Implement and monitor the production part approval process (PPAP) with selected suppliers to enable rate production
  • Ensure qualification and reliability activities at suppliers are in line with requirements
  • Analyze supplier quality and delivery metrics to identify trends and pinpoint systemic performance gaps and root causes to drive supplier improvement plans
  • Provide feedback to suppliers as appropriate on manufacturing methods, with a specific focus on eliminating costs, reducing cycle times, and increasing yields
  • Conduct independent research to identify potential new suppliers and capabilities in manufacturing and metrology
  • Identify and drive product & process improvements to lower part cost, reduce supply risk, eliminate potential defects, and improve cycle time
  • Effectively manage mission-critical supply chain by establishing excellent working relationships and regular lines of communication with suppliers
  • Demonstrate a strong sense of extreme ownership, proactivity, technical excellence, creativity, and self-direction
  • Function as liaison between purchasing, engineering, manufacturing, and suppliers to resolve supplier quality issues and to provide technical support
  • Collaborate with teams, lead projects, and continuously drive improvement in the supply base
  • Act as internal owner of supplier’s statistical process control (SPC), yield improvement activities, new tool/process qualification, and performance in terms of quality, efficiency, and cost

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
  • Experience with photonics or electronics manufacturing, including photonic piece-part components (pumps, fiber, lenses, combiners, isolators, and/or filters); OR wire bonding, active alignment, fiber splicing, OR PCBA manufacturing.
  • 3+ years of experience in one of the following: supply chain engineering, supplier development/quality, manufacturing, design engineering

Skills

Required:Photonic/electronic manufacturing experience
Nice to have:PPAP and supplier quality processes

Benefits

  • Long-term incentives (stock or long-term cash awards)
  • discretionary bonuses and Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
  • 401(k) retirement plan
  • short and long-term disability insurance
  • life insurance
  • paid parental leave
  • 3 weeks paid vacation and 10+ paid holidays per year
  • paid sick time per Washington state law
  • company shuttles to SpaceX Redmond office
Last updated Sep 30, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About SpaceX

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