Sr. Mechanical Engineer, High Pressure Die Casting (Starship)

Rocket Lab; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace company is seeking a Sr. Mechanical Engineer specializing in high-pressure die casting for the Starship program. The position necessitates strong CAD skills and mechanical design experience, collaborating closely with a team to innovate tooling designs. Responsibilities include drawing and optimizing die designs while ensuring manufacturability and performance standards are met.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Paid parental leave

3 weeks of paid vacation

10 or more paid holidays

Sick leave accrual

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Qualifications

• 5+ years mechanical design experience in high pressure aluminum die casting tooling design.
• Experience transitioning products from prototype to production.
• Understanding of high pressure die casting process conditions.

Responsibilities

• Develop CAD design of new die cast tooling from concept through production.
• Provide feedback to achieve manufacturability balance.
• Run flow and thermal simulation analysis to optimize die design.

Skills

3D CAD skills

Mechanical design

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

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. MECHANICAL ENGINEER, HIGH PRESSURE DIE CASTING (STARSHIP)

This position will support the manufacturing and development of Starship components alongside a strong group of mechanical design and process engineers. You will collaborate with product design engineers and process engineers, to establish high pressure die casting design guidelines, tooling requirements, create fully detailed 3D CAD tooling design models for die fabrication, and influence the design of future Starship components to meet the production rate required to colonize Mars.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop the CAD design of new die cast tooling from concept through production, including split lines, slides, ejection, vent and cooling systems (e.g. waterlines in tool steel as well as internal and external plumbing)
• Provide feedback to mechanical design and process engineers to achieve the right balance between product performance and manufacturability from a tooling perspective (e.g. draft angles, rib/boss geometry, etc.)
• Run flow and thermal simulation analysis to optimize the die design
• Capture feedback from process engineers and implement into new and replacement dies
• Innovate new ideas to push the envelope of performance (cycle time, yield, uptime) and minimize risk
• Provide technical oversight of tooling suppliers
• Assist in the development of tooling design and fabrication schedules, then execute accordingly
• Manage product design, die design, and die fabrication timelines

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering
• 5+ years of mechanical design experience in high pressure aluminum die casting tooling design

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience with aluminum high vacuum, high pressure, thin wall structural die casting tool design
• Strong to expert level 3D CAD skills, including advanced surfacing and large assemblies
• Experience with Siemens NX
• 8+ years high pressure die casting experience in a production environment
• Exceptional understanding of the interactions between the high pressure die casting process conditions (e.g. die temperature, die & tip lube application, shot profile, etc.) influence the metallurgical and structural integrity of cast aluminum components
• Experience transitioning products from prototype to production
• Experience with manufacturing process like injection molding, CNC, die casting, stamping, assembly, and product build in a production setting and a good understanding of the costs and schedule and complexity associated with each process

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willingness to travel to other SpaceX sites and/or vendors for significant/extended periods of time (~30% travel normally, more during urgent manufacturing and test campaigns)
• Willingness to work long hours and weekends as necessary to accommodate manufacturing and test campaigns

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:
Mechanical Engineer/Senior: $125,000.00 - $175,000.00/per year

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, stock options, 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.

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 Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [e-mail].