Sr. Materials Engineer (Starlink)

SpaceX
Texas
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeFunction: Industrial, Process & Manufacturing EngineeringExperience: 5+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["First principles thinking","Technical problem solving","Data-driven decision making","Cross-functional collaboration","Communication"]

Own critical consumables for Starlink’s end-to-end solar cell manufacturing, from ingot growth through wafering and cell fabrication. Set the technical bar for materials sourcing, qualification, and production hand-off, solving hard materials and supply-chain challenges. Lead cross-functional efforts to dual-source and qualify materials, define specifications and acceptance criteria, execute qualification programs, and drive root-cause investigations using first principles and data-driven corrective actions.

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FursaFursa
SpaceX
SpaceX
2 days ago

Sr. Materials Engineer (Starlink)

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Last checked: 3 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Own critical consumables for Starlink’s end-to-end solar cell manufacturing, from ingot growth through wafering and cell fabrication. Set the technical bar for materials sourcing, qualification, and production hand-off, solving hard materials and supply-chain challenges. Lead cross-functional efforts to dual-source and qualify materials, define specifications and acceptance criteria, execute qualification programs, and drive root-cause investigations using first principles and data-driven corrective actions.
Location: Texas
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Industrial, Process & Manufacturing Engineering
Seniority: Mid level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Own and drive strategy for consumable materials across ingot, wafer, and/or solar cell manufacturing lines, from supplier selection and technical evaluation through qualification and lifecycle management.
  • •Lead cross-functional efforts with supply chain, process engineering, quality, and production to source, qualify, and dual-source critical materials.
  • •Define and own material requirements, specifications, and acceptance criteria aligned to process needs, quality standards, and manufacturability at rate.
  • •Architect and execute rigorous material qualification programs (characterization, process trials, reliability assessment, production-readiness reviews) and drive clean hand-off into manufacturing.
  • •Lead root cause investigations and implement durable, data-driven corrective actions; communicate technical status, risks, and recommendations to leadership.
Travel: Medium travel

Key Requirements

  • •Bachelor’s degree in materials science, chemical engineering, or a STEM field.
  • •5+ years of experience in materials engineering, materials selection, process materials, supplier qualification, or manufacturing materials support.
  • •Broad experience with metals, polymers, crystals, ceramics, coatings, adhesives, or other process consumables in manufacturing or R&D.
  • •Experience partnering with supply chain on technical sourcing, supplier development, dual-sourcing, and reducing single-source risk for critical materials.
  • •Strong materials characterization experience (e.g., SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR, XPS, optical microscopy) and linking material/process variables to performance.
Experience:5+ yearsManufacturingR&DSupply chainSolar
Education:Bachelor's in materials science or chemical engineering (or a STEM field)
Skills:First principles thinkingTechnical problem solvingData-driven decision makingCross-functional collaborationCommunication
Tech Stack:SEM-EDSXRDFTIRXPSOptical microscopyMechanical property testingChemical property testing

Eligibility

Nationality:US National

Company Brief

SpaceX
Designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers, aiming to reduce space transportation costs and enable human life on Mars through reusable launch vehicles and integrated space systems.
Industry: Aerospace Manufacturing
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Growth: Established Company
Valuation: Hectocorn (USD 100B+)
Funding: Series E+
Headquarters: Hawthorne, United States
Founded: 2002
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