Build Reliability Engineer (Falcon/Starship Valves & Components)

United States Digital Space LLC; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking a Build Reliability Engineer to guide hardware from design through production and operation for Falcon/Starship valves and components. You will work across design engineering and manufacturing to establish quality plans, inspections, and lessons learned, driving reliability-focused process improvements.

You will develop and implement tooling, define inspection requirements, and lead root-cause analyses of failures during ramp-up, ensuring design intent

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field required or equivalent.
• Experience in manufacturing, quality, or design engineering roles.
• Preference for Master’s degree and aerospace experience.
• Familiarity with reliability and quality tools and methods.

Responsibilities

• Develop manufacturing, integration, assembly, welding, NDE, cleanliness, and checkout processes from the ground up.
• Identify reliability gaps and implement solutions to improve reliability without slowing build rate.
• Create quality plans for flight hardware, including key characteristics, prototype testing, first article, and inspections.
• Monitor production ramp-up using quality and analysis tools.
• Contain non-conforming product and guide teams in quarantining and rework across sites.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Collaborative mindset

Root-cause analysis

Process improvement mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's degree in engineering

Tools

Lean principles

Measurement systems analysis

Design of experiments

Statistical process control

APQP

PFMEA

Job description

BUILD RELIABILITY ENGINEER (FALCON/STARSHIP VALVES AND COMPONENTS)

The Build Reliability organization at the company is an inclusive, interdisciplinary team committed to the reliability of flight components and production assemblies. As a Build Reliability Engineer you will collaborate across core groups, guiding hardware from design through production and operation. Your responsibilities include employing "reliability by any means necessary", building and improving processes, collecting and analyzing data, troubleshooting root causes, and driving continuous production improvement.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop manufacturing, integration, assembly, welding, NDE, cleanliness, and checkout processes from the ground up, then enforce consistency across different work centers.
• Identify current reliability gaps in the manufacturing/design process, ideate solutions, and implement them to improve reliability without slowing build rate.
• Partner with design engineering and manufacturing teams through product development and production to create quality plans for flight hardware, including key characteristics, prototype testing, first article and detailed inspection planning, and lessons learned.
• Monitor product and process success during production ramp‑up using quality and analysis tools.
• Conduct regular build quality reviews to ensure design intent is achieved; identify risk reduction opportunities and eliminate complexity in designs and processes, collaborating with product teams to address high‑impact non‑conformances.
• Investigate production, test, and flight failures, identifying and mitigating root causes to reduce risk and improve reliability.
• Design and implement tooling for work access, mechanical/avionics/propulsion testing, build fixturing, lifting & rigging, and fluids.
• Define and document inspection requirements and procedures.
• Contain suspect or known non‑conforming product, guiding quality inspectors, technicians, shop supervisors, and engineers in quarantining and rework activities across multiple sites.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, materials engineering, manufacturing engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, or another STEM related field.
• 1+ years in a manufacturing, quality, and/or design engineering role (student project team or internship experience qualifies).

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience with the build, assembly, or integration of structures, avionics, valves, fluid system components, actuators, thermal protection systems, or other aerospace components.
• 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 environments.
• Knowledge of welding requirements and experience implementing process improvements for both automated and manual welding processes.
• 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, PFMEA, control plans, and various problem‑solving approaches.
• Experience developing or supporting any of the following products/processes:
• Complex mechanical/structural assemblies
• Fluid component/valve assembly
• CNC machining, forming, bending
• Fluid system pressure testing
• Welding (electron beam (EB)/TIG)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to work extended hours, weekends, and off‑site 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 job‑related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. 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 discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long‑term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks are also provided. Employees accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation, 10 or more paid holidays per year, and paid sick leave in accordance with company policy that satisfies or exceeds applicable laws.

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.