Manager, Strategic Sourcing (Data Operations)

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 155,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, Dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Paid parental leave

Stock purchase plan

Vacation and holidays

Employee discounts

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Manager, Strategic Sourcing (Data Operations) to build and lead SpaceXAI's data operations team in Palo Alto, CA. You will define sourcing strategy, vet high-quality training data, manage vendor relationships, and collaborate with research to close model gaps and improve performance.

You will oversee global suppliers, negotiate major data-related agreements, and drive standardized processes to hit cost, quality, and delivery targets while contributing to SpaceXAI’s mission.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years of experience in business, supply chain, engineering, procurement, strategy and operations, or technology
• Experience in AI training data, datasets, and how dataset quality affects model performance
• Experience in fast-paced AI, ML, or data infrastructure environments
• Background building or managing global supplier networks for services, data, or other high-variability commodities
• Strong leadership, negotiation, analytical, and cross-functional skills
• Proven ability to secure supply and manage cost, quality, and delivery against aggressive targets
• Experience with data analysis, spend analysis, and performance metrics
• Passion for SpaceXAI’s mission

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing sourcing team focused on acquiring high-quality data that aligns with research needs and model performance
• Source and co-develop datasets with vendor partners to meet the increasing complexity of our models
• Oversee the global supplier network, including end-to-end sourcing and supplier qualification, to meet acquisition and delivery targets
• Negotiate major agreements covering pricing, volume, quality, exclusivity, and delivery reliability, committing budget only to datasets that meaningfully improve model performance
• Continuously improve, standardize, and scale sourcing processes, workflows, tools, and planning systems
• Track team and category KPIs and provide regular updates and recommendations to senior leadership

Job description

Manager, Strategic Sourcing (Data Operations)

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.

Manager, Strategic Sourcing (Data Operations)

We're hiring a leader to build and run SpaceXAI's data operations team. This team defines the sourcing strategy and vets high-quality training data, manages vendor relationships, and works directly with research to close model gaps and improve performance. You'll partner with external vendors on evaluations and specialized datasets that support training, validation, and ongoing model work. This team also owns data quality standards and must deliver datasets that hit our cost, quality, and speed targets. We're looking for an experienced people leader with a strong background in data operations or technical sourcing and a proven record of delivering in high-pressure environments.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing sourcing team focused on acquiring high-quality data that aligns with research needs and model performance
• Source and co-develop datasets with vendor partners to meet the increasing complexity of our models
• Oversee the global supplier network, including end-to-end sourcing and supplier qualification, to meet acquisition and delivery targets
• Negotiate major agreements covering pricing, volume, quality, exclusivity, and delivery reliability, committing budget only to datasets that meaningfully improve model performance
• Continuously improve, standardize, and scale sourcing processes, workflows, tools, and planning systems
• Track team and category KPIs and provide regular updates and recommendations to senior leadership

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years of experience working in one or more of the following; or 10+ years of experience working in one or more of the following in lieu of a degree:
  • Business
  • Supply chain
  • Engineering
  • Procurement
  • Strategy and operations
  • Technology

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Technical understanding of AI training data, including annotations, evaluations, research datasets, and how dataset quality affects model performance
• Experience in fast‑paced AI, ML, or data infrastructure environments
• Background building or managing global supplier networks for services, data, or other high‑variability commodities
• Strong leadership, negotiation, analytical, and cross‑functional skills
• Proven ability to secure supply and manage cost, quality, and delivery against aggressive targets
• Experience with data analysis, spend analysis, and performance metrics
• Ability to tackle complex and ambiguous problems with high ownership
• Passion for SpaceXAI’s mission

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Pay Range:
$155,000.00 - $215,000.00

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.

• 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.

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