Build Reliability Engineer (Falcon/Dragon)

Future Ventures; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options and long-term incentives

Medical, vision, dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Paid parental leave

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Build Reliability Engineer to guide hardware from design to production, collaborating with design and manufacturing teams to ensure reliability of flight components and assemblies. The role emphasizes data-driven decision making, problem solving, and hands-on work on the factory floor, lab, and in office environments.

The ideal candidate brings lean quality experience, familiarity with quality tools, and a passion for improving reliability in cutting-edge aerospace tech.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or physics.
• 1+ years in a manufacturing, quality or design engineering role (student project team or internship qualifies).
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills; enthusiasm for innovation and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Partner with design engineering and manufacturing teams to create quality plans for flight hardware and inspections.
• Develop, implement and validate Lean test and inspection processes.
• Monitor product/process performance during ramp-up with quality tools.
• Conduct regular build quality reviews; identify risk reduction opportunities to improve manufacturability.
• Investigate production/test/flight failures and identify root causes to reduce risk.
• Contain non-conforming product and guide teams in quarantining and rework.
• Support Lean autonomous production with standard rework guides and process optimization.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Lean quality principles

Quality tools

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or physics

Master's degree in mechanical/aerospace/materials/electrical engineering

Tools

Lean principles

Measurement systems analysis

Design of experiments

Statistical process control

Root cause analysis

APQP

PFMEA

Metrology

Control plans

Job description

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.

BUILD RELIABILITY ENGINEER (FALCON/DRAGON)

The Build Reliability organization at SpaceX is an inclusive, inter-disciplinary team that is committed to the reliability of flight components and production assemblies. Your breadth of exposure as a Build Reliability Engineer will be immense as you collaborate with other core groups at SpaceX, guiding the hardware from design to production and operation. You use data to understand the factors that drive reliability, and support quality objectives in design and development teams to drive improvements in reliability in manufacturing, test and flight. You have the ability to dive deep into the details to identify, understand and solve difficult technical problems and also utilize a system level approach to prioritize issues for the vehicle as a whole. You thrive in a hands-on environment and will spend time in the office, on the factory floor, and in the lab to execute on the mission to make humanity interplanetary.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• 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
• Investigate failures in production, test and flight, identifying and mitigating the immediate and underlying root causes in order to reduce risk and improve reliability of designs and processes
• 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 or physics
• 1+ years 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
• Master’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, materials engineering, or electrical engineering
• Demonstrated application of process controls in high volume manufacturing, test, and quality environment
• Dedicated to adopting a Lean approach to quality without compromising safety or reliability
• Knowledge of quality tools such as Lean principles, measurement systems analysis, design of experiments, statistical process control, root cause analysis and corrective action, advanced product quality planning (APQP), metrology, process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA), control plans, and various problem solving approaches
• Experience developing or supporting any of the following products/processes:
  • Complex mechanical/structural assemblies
  • Advanced composites systems
  • Fluid component/valve assembly
  • Pre-preg lamination/curing composites
  • CNC machining, forming, bending
  • Bonding, drilling, fastening and other assembly manufacturing processes
  • Avionics integration and testing
  • Fluid system pressure testing
  • Welding (electron beam (EB), TIG)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

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

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:

Build Reliability Engineer/Level I: $100,000.00 - $117,500.00/per year
Build Reliability Engineer/Level II: $115,000.00 - $140,000.00/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 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 and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

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 Aff…? Wait... [e-mail].