Process Engineer, Satellite Reliability & Improvement

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

401(k) plan

Health, vision, and dental coverage

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

SpaceX seeks a Process Engineer for Starshield to ensure reliability of satellites and drive hardware improvements. You will identify failures, perform root-cause analyses, and implement corrective actions across the factory in collaboration with mechanical, electrical, software, and supply chain teams.

The role emphasizes data-driven decisions, quality tools, and lean process improvements to maximize yield and reliability in high-volume production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• 1+ years in process engineering, manufacturing, or reliability engineering (internships/co-ops acceptable).
• Experience troubleshooting, failure investigations, and corrective actions for hardware.
• Willingness to work extended hours and potentially offsite as needed.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot, root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions for Starshield hardware.
• Contain non-conforming product and drive root-cause investigations with updates to teams.
• Drive corrective actions to meet design specs using data on yield and defects.
• Collaborate with Integration & Test engineers to improve manufacturing processes and test coverage.
• Maximize ROI for test/inspection through lean checks and objective criteria.
• Identify design/manufacturing improvements through new product cycles and PFMEA.
• Document failure analyses, test results, and corrective actions.
• Lead actions to prevent factory escapes of defective hardware.
• Support shop floor improvements and autonomous production through PFMEA reviews.

Skills

Python programming

SQL data analysis

DOE design of experiments

Statistical process control

Root cause analysis

Active clearance

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or other engineering discipline

Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent

Tools

PFMEA

Control plans

Lean principles

Measurement systems analysis (MSA)

Job description

SpaceX seeks a Process Engineer for Starshield to ensure reliability of satellites and drive hardware improvements. You will identify failures, perform root-cause analyses, and implement corrective actions across the factory in collaboration with mechanical, electrical, software, and supply chain teams.

The role emphasizes data-driven decisions, quality tools, and lean process improvements to maximize yield and reliability in high-volume production.