NDE Engineer, Supply Chain

Location: Hawthorne, CA

Department: NonDestructive Evaluation - Engineering

NDE ENGINEER, SUPPLY CHAIN 

SpaceX demands a new type of supply chain as we drive towards humanity on Mars. We require our suppliers to provide premium quality with rapidly evolving designs at increasingly ambitious volumes. We are actively looking for candidates who possess comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing and quality tools and have unrelenting motivation to enable suppliers for success. This position will support ALL programs, including Falcon, Dragon and Starship programs and requires a combination of proven leadership and technical capabilities.  

This is a highly technical position that requires practical experience in manufacturing engineering and new product development through stabilized production and a decent grasp of NDE methods used in rockets and rocket engines and be capable of communicating with all levels of the vendor base from the CEO to inspectors. The ideal candidate will have a broad and thorough understanding of component fabrication methodologies including machining, finishing, forming, welding, inspections, and other associated processes. This candidate must have the desire and capability to take on new challenges in unfamiliar areas to help enable our mission to Mars.  

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Serve as the NDE point of contact for assigned parts and assemblies of the rocket, solving emergent challenges at suppliers, and mitigating risk to the manifest by addressing high-impact NDE and quality challenges  
• Own the onboarding process, including determining the ideal NDE method, identifying and reviewing suppliers, and developing a reliable process for ramping to rate for parts that are new, undergoing drawing changes, or undergoing re-sourcing at a new supplier  
• Drive technical product improvements and related engineering drawing updates to reduce risk and potential defect opportunities as well as improve manufacturability, manufacturing lead times, and cost  
• Review issues within NDE requirements and solve to the root cause, implementing changes at the supplier, at SpaceX or both, as appropriate, drive further actions to closure, and re-source to new suppliers where appropriate  
• Support SDE’s containment activities related to NDE processes, working with cross-functional counterparts to agree on scope, path forward and ultimate resolution  
• Work with procurement to find exceptional suppliers and vet them appropriately for quality and ability to meet our aggressive takt times  
• Review and assess supplier inspection processes and quality systems, providing feedback as appropriate and manage supplier improvements  
• Demonstrate innovation, technical excellence, attention to detail, self-direction and courage to push the technical envelope which is conventionally held in the industry
• Become thoroughly familiar with the processes that make up the overall assembly and become the primary point of contact for NDE related defects on your parts  

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline  
• 1+ years of experience with manufacturing or processing engineering   

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:  

• Experience with manufacturing, machined parts, fabricated components, sheet metal, composites, and/or raw materials & special processes  
• Basic understanding of NDE and the methods typically used in aerospace applications (ET, MT, PT, UT, RT/DR, VT)  
• Experience with assessing supplier technical capability both from an equipment, operations, and personnel perspective  
• Knowledge of supplier quality processes (Production Part Approval Process, Advanced Product Quality Planning, First Article Inspection Reports, etc.)  
• Disciplined approach to problem solving – i.e. 8D  
• Experience with quality systems (ISO 9000/TS/AS9100) and associated NDE qualification/certification requirements  
• Experience with Pareto analysis, root cause, corrective action, and PFMEAs  
• Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) experience  
• Knowledge of lean concepts  
• Ability to succinctly communicate status and needed actions, often urgently, to all levels of the organization  
• Experience with sharing information and influencing others (strong written and verbal communication skills, able to liaise cross functionally, internally and externally, make presentations to team members and management)  

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:  

• Ability to work extended hours, some nights and/or weekends when needed  
• Ability to travel: up to 40-50% work week travel  
• Valid driver’s license  

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:  

Pay range:    
Level I: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year    
Level II: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00/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.