SR. SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER (INJECTION MOLDING)

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.

SpaceX is developing a low latency, broadband internet system to meet the needs of consumers across the globe. Enabled by a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites, Starlink will provide fast, reliable internet to populations with little or no connectivity, including those in rural communities and places where existing services are too expensive or unreliable. We are looking for talented, creative, and driven engineers to develop, drive, and maintain suppliers, from initial concept development to full scale production.

This is a high-profile, cross functional position that plays a critical role in ensuring the quality, reliability, and scalability of the user terminal manufacturing at our global suppliers. You will work in close coordination with internal engineering and manufacturing departments as well as with global base of suppliers to execute effective, creative and smart supply chain strategies to achieve production goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Improve quality, cost, delivery, and capacity metrics for injection molded parts used in the Starlink products
• Work on the development of new plastic injection tooling projects to meet a wide range of product performance and cosmetic requirements
• Research and identify new materials, manufacturing technologies, and finish options
• Review DFM from the supplier, including gating strategy, Moldflow, and Mold Warp analysis
• Review and approve prototype/development tool designs, and tooling maintenance procedures
• Direct tooling modifications while ultimately responsible for approving first article inspection (FAI) reports, and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) reports
• Collaborate with design, materials, and manufacturing engineers to gain an in-depth knowledge of injection molded part, assembly, metrology, and/or sub-system design intent
• Support the procurement team to strategically source parts matched with supplier competencies by reviewing and assessing supplier manufacturing processes and quality systems
• Create and define supplier technical and quality requirements based on customer and program requirements and expectations for NPI and production phases
• Lead resolution of supplier quality issues through root cause analysis, while functioning as liaison between purchasing, engineering, production, and suppliers
• Define product technical requirements, and ensure supplier compliance with these requirements
• Analyze supplier quality and delivery metrics to identify trends and pinpoint systemic performance gaps and root causes to drive supplier improvement plans
• Conduct independent research to identify potential new suppliers and capabilities in manufacturing and metrology for injection molded parts
• Demonstrate a strong sense of ownership, proactivity, technical excellence, creativity, self-direction, and courage

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
• 5+ years of experience in one of the following: injection molding process development, direct hands-on injection mold design and/or injection mold construction, or Mold Master

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree or PhD in mechanical engineering
• 10+ years of experience in one of the following: injection molding process development, direct hands-on injection mold design and/or injection mold construction, or Mold Master
• Knowledge of metrology tools and techniques for measuring and characterizing injection molded parts
• Knowledge of statistical techniques and methods (design of experiments, Six Sigma, etc.). Experience with JMP plus.
• Proficiency in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GDT) principles and applications
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, time management, and organizational skills
• Ability to act quickly in a fast-moving and high-stress environment.
• Experience with statistical process control (SPC), Six Sigma certification, or Lean manufacturing principles applied
• Proven track record of production ramp-up for high-volume electronics manufacturing, preferably in consumer electronics
• Strong understanding of failure modes, defect analysis, and quality control methodologies (e.g., 8D, Fishbone, Pareto, PFMEA, DOE, SPC), with the ability to develop Product Quality Plans (PQP), implement FAI and Cp/Cpk reviews, and establish audit procedures tailored for high production volumes
• Hands-on experience with failure analysis with prior experience in the consumer electronics industry, particularly with high volume hardware assembly, would be plus.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple suppliers and projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Position is based in Bangalore, India and requires being onsite - remote work not considered
• Must be willing to work long hours and weekends when needed to meet critical deadlines
• Ability to travel: Up to 50% of work week travel may be required to suppliers in Southeast Asia