Materials Engineer for High-Volume Starlink Manufacturing

SpaceX; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Materials Engineer (Starlink) to own critical consumables across ingot, wafer, and solar cell production. You will partner with supply chain to source, qualify, and hand off materials into high-volume manufacturing, ensuring safety and quality throughout all steps on the factory floor.

The role emphasizes first-principles problem solving, material chemistry knowledge, and a willingness to work extended hours and travel up to 25% as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in materials science, chemical engineering, or a STEM field.
• 1+ years of experience in materials engineering, materials selection, process materials, or manufacturing materials support.

Responsibilities

• Own consumable materials used across ingot, wafer, and/or solar cell manufacturing lines—from initial sourcing and technical evaluation through qualification, production hand-off, and ongoing support.
• Partner closely with supply chain to identify, evaluate, and qualify suppliers for critical process materials.
• Define material requirements, specifications, and acceptance criteria in collaboration with process, quality, and production engineering teams.
• Plan and execute material qualification campaigns, including characterization, process trials, and production-readiness assessments before hand-off to manufacturing.
• Drive root cause to first principles and implement durable corrective actions.
• Build deep technical understanding of material chemistry, microstructure, and process interactions for metals, polymers, crystals, and other consumables used in high-volume manufacturing.
• Identify opportunities to improve material performance, cost, yield, and reliability through alternative materials, dual-sourcing strategies, or process changes.
• Document qualification results, material specifications, and best practices.
• Communicate status, risks, and recommendations clearly to cross-functional partners and leadership.
• Champion a culture of safety and quality in all materials handling, testing, and production support activities.

Skills

Materials science

First-principles thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in materials science/chemical engineering/STEM

Tools

SEM-EDS

XRD

FTIR

Optical microscopy

Job description

SpaceX is seeking a Materials Engineer (Starlink) to own critical consumables across ingot, wafer, and solar cell production. You will partner with supply chain to source, qualify, and hand off materials into high-volume manufacturing, ensuring safety and quality throughout all steps on the factory floor.

The role emphasizes first-principles problem solving, material chemistry knowledge, and a willingness to work extended hours and travel up to 25% as needed.