Sr. Manufacturing Engineer, Blades and Vanes

InvestedintheMission; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Sr. Manufacturing Engineer for blades and vanes investment casting, with ownership from commissioning to production readiness.

You’ll manage equipment like VIM furnaces, ceramic/wax injection, and shell/heat systems while coordinating with suppliers and internal teams. The role emphasizes hands-on installation, process development, and mentoring of engineers, with travel for commissioning and FATs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, electrical, chemical, materials science, or other engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of equipment, manufacturing, or process engineering, including hands-on installation, commissioning, FAT/SAT, and supplier management.

Responsibilities

• Lead commissioning, FAT, SAT, supplier management, and customization of pre-cast equipment and thermal systems.
• Coordinate facilities and services: power, water, waste, controls, network, MES.
• Own process ownership for cores-through-cast operations and drive capability, cost, rate, yield, and quality.
• Develop tools, fixtures, and process aids to hit rate and yield targets.
• Maintain work instructions, PFMEAs, control plans, and change-control documentation.
• Own EHS and process safety for high-temperature, vacuum, and chemical operations.
• Troubleshoot issues, perform root-cause analysis, and implement robust corrections.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and mentor junior engineers/technicians.

Skills

Equipment commissioning

FAT/SAT

Process ownership

MES integration

Lean Six Sigma

VIM furnaces

Autoclaves

Maintenance/Reliability

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Dewax autoclaves

Kilns/Ovens

Shell dip lines

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.

SR. MANUFACTURING ENGINEER, BLADES AND VANES

Working directly in the materials engineering group, this position owns equipment installation, commissioning, and process development for selected areas the blades and vanes investment casting line, from ceramic cores through wax, shell, and cast. A counterpart owns post-cast operations (shell removal through coating). Experience in any cores-through-cast area is welcome. The role starts with commissioning, then transitions to process ownership in the area where the engineer is strongest, always with a strong equipment foundation.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead commissioning, Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), supplier management, and customization of pre-cast equipment, including VIM furnaces, ceramic and wax injection machines, shell dip lines, and thermal systems (kilns, dewax autoclaves, burnout and preheat furnaces).
• Coordinate supplier-defined facilities and services: power, water, waste, controls, network, connectivity, and MES.
• After commissioning, take process ownership of assigned cores-through-cast operations, drive production-ready capability, and own cost, rate, yield, and quality.
• Specify, design, and implement tools, fixtures, process aids, and additional equipment to hit rate, quality, and yield targets.
• Develop and maintain work instructions, process specifications, PFMEAs, control plans, and change-control documentation.
• Own EHS and process safety for assigned equipment, including high-temperature, vacuum, pressure, and chemical operations.
• Troubleshoot equipment and process issues on the floor; lead root-cause analysis and implement robust corrections.
• Collaborate with Materials, Design, Quality, Facilities, Controls, Production, Maintenance/Reliability, and EHS, including technicians and operators.
• Lead technical projects and mentor junior engineers and technicians; provide technical guidance and promote skill growth and team cohesion. Senior individual-contributor role, not a people-manager position.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, electrical, chemical, materials science, or other engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of equipment, manufacturing, or process engineering, including hands-on installation, commissioning, FAT/SAT, and supplier management.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in at least one major area of investment casting or a closely related high-temperature/precision process, and the ability to learn the full cores-through-cast flow.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with working knowledge of electrical, controls, automation, and facilities. Able to support or transition into maintenance and reliability for assigned equipment.
• Works independently, delivers under tight schedules, and communicates effectively with suppliers, technicians, and cross-functional partners.
• Direct experience with VIM furnaces, ceramic/wax injection, kilns/ovens, autoclaves, dip lines, core leachers, HIP, heat treat, AGVs, or related process equipment.
• Breadth across mechanical, electrical, materials, controls, and automation.
• Experience integrating equipment with MES and plant networks.
• Lean/Six Sigma or equivalent structured problem-solving.
• Prior mentoring of engineers and technicians, or technical leadership of project teams.
• Aerospace, energy, or other high-reliability casting or precision manufacturing.
• Hands-on maintenance, reliability, or equipment-sustainment experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Travel approximately 15% for equipment commissioning and FATs; extended hours or weekends as required during commissioning and ramp.
• Ability to lift up to 25Ibs unassisted.
• Standing/walking for long periods of time.
• Willingness to work long hours and weekends as necessary to accommodate manufacturing and test campaigns.

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 Affi­ or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [e-mail].