Lead Electrical Hardware Reliability Engineer (Starlink Product)

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.

LEAD ELECTRICAL HARDWARE RELIABILITY ENGINEER (STARLINK PRODUCT)

SpaceX is leveraging our experience building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s largest satellite constellation and most advanced broadband internet system. We provide reliable and fast internet to millions of users worldwide, including populations with little or no connectivity, rural communities, aircraft, watercraft, and places where existing services are unreliable, too expensive, or disconnected by natural disasters. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system, thousands of satellites and consumer antennae that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing. The Starlink team is seeking out the best-in-class professionals to maximize Starlink’s potential for communities and businesses around the globe.

As a Lead Electrical Hardware Reliability Engineer at SpaceX, you will play a key role in shaping and executing reliability test strategies for the Starlink user terminal kit. You will take ownership of product and production reliability across all electrical aspects of our kit components – including cables, power supplies, Wi-Fi-routers, and user terminals, leading qualification efforts to ensure new designs are ready for mass production. Your work will directly support Starlink’s mission to deliver global satellite internet connectivity.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and mentor a team of electrical engineers focused on design reliability, production reliability, and product qualification for all components of the Starlink user terminal kits

• Allocate resources appropriately across several next generation product qualification campaigns to ensure appropriate coverage exists for test execution and troubleshooting failures

• Develop individual team members by enabling opportunities suited to each individual that align with the strategic goals of the Starlink Product program

• Develop and implement reliability test strategies for new products and their subcomponents to maximize field life and minimize early life failures

• Develop, implement, and validate test and inspection processes for new and existing products, ensuring that criteria are objective and that reliability goals are consistently met

• Design and execute novel environmental, RF, mechanical, and electrical testing techniques tailored to the product and its functions

• Automate reliability test initiatives and reporting using proper data visualization techniques and thorough knowledge of the product and its functions

• Define the ongoing reliability testing strategy to monitor the manufacturing process health and screen for long-term reliability defects caused by process and component variability

• ⁠Investigate failures in test, identifying and mitigating the immediate and underlying root causes in order to reduce risk and improve reliability of designs and processes

• Work closely with hardware, software, manufacturing, supply chain, and product engineering teams maximize reliability across all disciplines and proactively influence current and future designs

• Oversee containments, MRB (material review board), quality metrics, training, and applicable command media for factory compliance

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering

• 2+ years of experience in an engineering role within design qualification, manufacturing, reliability test, or a production environment

• 1+ years of experience leading an engineering team

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering

• 5+ years of experience in an engineering role within design qualification, manufacturing, reliability test, or a production environment

• 3+ years of experience leading an engineering team

• Experience with high-volume manufacturing

• Demonstrated experience training and mentoring junior engineers

• Demonstrated experience working in a highly adaptive and iterative environment

• Ability to influence other organizations through strong engineering/business rationale and data

• Ability to effectively organize, assign and track work/deliverables

• Ability to define scope of work independently and execute accordingly

• Ability to identify and analyze production process improvements for rate and quality

• Experience with both electronics and mechanical design and analysis including knowledge of RF principles

• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal

• 2+ years in a leadership position leading a team of 5+ people

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to work extended hours, weekends, and offsite as needed

• Ability to lift up to 25lbs, unassisted

• Must be willing to work onsite, remote work not considered

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 [email protected].