Lead Supply Chain Reliability Engineer (Starlink)

We are seeking a highly detail-oriented and decisive Lead Supply Chain Reliability Engineer to oversee a dynamic team focused on ensuring supplier compliance, driving quality improvements, and mitigating risks across the Starlink Aviation Supply Chain. This role leads both hourly inspectors performing documentation reviews, dimensional, and visual inspections, as well as engineers dedicated to upstream supplier quality initiatives. The ideal candidate thrives in ambiguous environments, excels at rapid decision-making, and interfaces effectively with all organizational levels to uphold rigorous quality standards and risk-based decision making.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Lead and mentor a team of hourly inspectors and supplier quality engineers
• Foster a culture of accountability, ensuring the team drives suppliers to full awareness and compliance with all quality and drawing requirements while validating that requirements are clear, sensible, and effectively communicated
• Oversee the team's hands-on resolution of quality issues, including running containments, screening parts, closing issue tickets, executing engineering dispositions for all nonconforming product, issuing SCARs (Supplier Corrective Action Request), and driving to closure with objective evidence
• Generate quality metric reports and analyze historical trends to identify patterns in defects and performance
• Leverage insights to initiate targeted improvement projects at suppliers aimed at reducing defects and enhancing overall quality 
• Update existing procedures or develop new ones to streamline inspections, audits, and quality processes 
• Conduct and prioritize supplier audits, including onboarding audits for new suppliers and surveillance audits for incumbent ones
• Travel to supplier sites as needed to assess compliance and capabilities  
• Identify, categorize, and mitigate supply chain risks proactively, ensuring robust strategies when issues arise
• Fully own preventive and corrective actions. Able to quickly make risk-based decisions
• Communicate quality trends and data-driven recommendations to Supplier Development Engineers to influence design changes for improved design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for inspectability (DFI)
• Apply root cause analysis tools (e.g., 5 Whys) and methodologies like Six Sigma to drive systemic quality enhancements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering
• 3+ years of experience in supplier quality engineering, quality assurance, or manufacturing engineering
• 1+ year of professional experience leading people or projects

• Experience leading teams of engineers, specialists, and/or inspectors 
• Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
• Expertise in root cause analysis tools such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, or 8D
• Experience leading supplier audits (onboarding and surveillance).
• Familiarity with aerospace or high-reliability manufacturing standards (e.g., AS9100, ISO 9001).
• Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Minitab, PowerBI, SQL) and quality management systems
• Extreme attention to detail with a track record of making quick, effective decisions in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• Strong ability to interface and influence at all organizational levels, from shop floor technicians to executive leadership
• Proficiency in risk identification, categorization, and mitigation
• Experience with quality metrics reporting, trend analysis, and project initiation for supplier improvements
• Hands-on experience with tactical quality execution (e.g., containments, part screening, material returns)

• Willing and able to work extended hours and weekends as needed

• 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 EEOCompliance@spacex.com.