Manager, Supplier Development Engineering (Starship)

SpaceX•Starbase, TX, TX

About The Position

The Manager, Supplier Development Engineering will own the supplier development engineering function for SpaceX’s Starship program. The role leads a team responsible for proactively eliminating reliability risks, engineering a scalable supply chain, developing a technically excellent vendor base, and establishing reliable upstream processes that prevent downstream burden. This senior technical leadership role aligns design, manufacturing, and supply chain requirements to ensure part conformance and process stability at Starship flight rate. The manager will set and execute a multi-year supply chain reliability vision, develop managers and individual contributors, resolve systemic risks, and manage senior stakeholders across the Starship program. The position also drives program-wide initiatives, develops cost-reduction solutions across the supply base, and leads a high-performing organization. The manager will lead complex, multidisciplinary organizations and projects, address ambiguous challenges with a bias toward action, and create and execute a strategic organizational vision to scale Starship supply chain operations. The role defines high-level goals with cross-functional leadership, cascades those goals through managers and teams, and drives rapid execution. The supplier development engineering roadmap covers Starship flight hardware, including structures, propulsion, avionics, fluids, and related commodities as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline.
At least 8 years of experience in one or more of the following: engineering, purchasing, contract negotiation, material or production planning, operations or supply chain management, material cost control, or master production scheduling.
At least 3 years of experience leading a team with direct reports.
Ability to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
Ability to travel for work up to 40%.
Must meet U.S. Government export-control requirements: be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice To Haves

At least 10 years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, technical procurement, or supply chain management.
At least 2 years of experience leading people managers or a multi-team organization.
Experience supporting high-rate aerospace, automotive, or similarly complex hardware production programs.
Strong technical understanding of MRP systems.
Experience with BOM management within Teamcenter.
Experience sourcing and managing complex machined components, weldments, structures, or other flight-critical hardware.
Strong collaboration, attention to detail, verbal, written, and presentation skills.
Excellent problem-solving, critical-thinking, and troubleshooting skills, with a bias for speed without sacrificing quality.
Ability to develop and maintain relationships across disciplines, including with senior engineering, production, and supply chain leadership.
Ability to work independently or collaboratively, manage multiple critical priorities, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, loosely structured environment.
Advanced MS Excel skills, including pivot tables or macros and data analysis.
Experience with SQL and Power BI.
Conducts all activities with the highest integrity.

Responsibilities

Work cross-functionally with supply chain verticals, engineering leadership, and production management to identify improvement opportunities, implement agile processes, and mitigate strategic risks affecting Starship vehicle and engine reliability.
Partner with engineering and supply chain leadership to align design requirements, technical improvements, and reliable supply chain processes.
Define strategic and tactical goals for supplier development engineering and lead initiatives that meet production and engineering stakeholder expectations.
Lead supply chain engineering teams to align cost, quality, and delivery goals while continuously improving as the Starship program plan changes.
Develop standards and expectations for at-rate supplier delivery in alignment with supply-base leaders.
Ensure end-to-end delivery execution from the supplier’s facility to the specified production area.
Facilitate supply chain change management and ensure conforming parts are introduced on time and at rate to support design and production changes.
Identify opportunities to insource or outsource part manufacturing to support production rate and guide make-versus-buy decisions.
Represent supplier development engineering in Starship program forums, establish trust with senior stakeholders, and ensure supply chain alignment with program priorities.
Motivate managers and teams, make timely decisions, and ensure deliverables and expectations are met.
Develop reporting procedures and systems to communicate reliability progress, needed support, and improvement opportunities.
Identify and implement process, system, and training improvements with tangible results, delegating execution across the organization.
Track and review KPIs with managers and teams and adjust initiatives to drive progress.
Develop and champion cross-functional technical cost-reduction projects with sourcing leadership.
Resolve ambiguous issues autonomously and proactively using creative, resourceful approaches.
Ensure the organization understands quality risks at both high and granular levels and collaborates to reduce those risks across Starship.
Own the supplier development engineering roadmap for Starship flight hardware, including structures, propulsion, avionics, fluids, and related assigned commodities.
Build, lead, and scale a supplier development engineering organization of people managers and individual contributors.
Conduct weekly one-on-ones with direct reports, including managers, and collaborate on personal development plans.
Coach managers on hiring, performance management, and team development; hold the leadership bench accountable for results and culture.
Interview and hire Supply Chain candidates, with a strong focus on talent.
Develop succession plans with leads and managers, manage attrition to support business continuity, and develop individual contributors into future leaders.
Model and promote collaboration, respect, transparency, team problem solving, and integrity.