Hardware Development Engineer, PCBA Manufacturing (Starlink)
Owns and improves the PCBA (printed circuit board assembly) manufacturing process for Starlink hardware at SpaceX's Bastrop, TX production site — designing production lines, managing new product introduction with design engineers, and root-causing SMT production issues. Core tools include SMT/PCBA processes, statistical methods (Gauge R&R, process capability), SQL, and Python.
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Bastrop, TX
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Not specified
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 1+ years
- Category
- Hardware
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
- 1+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, SMT, accelerated testing, hardware debug/triage, design for reliability, or PCB design/layout (school/project experience qualifies)
- ITAR eligibility: U.S. citizen/national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee (or eligible for required authorizations)
- Ability to lift heavy objects up to 25 lbs unassisted
- Willing to work weekends and extended hours as needed
- Able to travel for business trips up to 10% on an ongoing basis
Nice to have
- High volume production experience (consumer goods, automotive, etc.)
- Hands-on experience in SMT processing and/or related PCBA processes
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work autonomously and as a team in a demanding, fast-paced environment
- Knowledge of IPC manufacturing standards
- Experience with SQL and Python
- Knowledge of statistical techniques such as experiment design, process capability analysis, and Gauge R&R
- Experience with Six Sigma
- Experience with basic failure analysis tools and methods (X-ray, cross-section, polishing)
- Demonstrated ability to gather, analyze, and use data to drive systemic improvements
Full description
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.
HARDWARE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER, PCBA MANUFACTURING (STARLINK)
The Starlink PCBA Engineer will work inside the production organization to develop, manage, and improve the PCBA manufacturing process. Starlink needs the ability to continuously improve the quality and reliability of its products and production lines. This role looks to design production lines suitable to meet necessary rate, work with equipment suppliers to install and validate new equipment, and continuously seeks to improve the production process. We are actively looking for candidates who possess comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing and quality tools and have the motivation to work with supply chain to build a premium product at commercial scale volume.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Own and manage PCBA manufacturing processes and PCBA products for in-house production
- Drive processes for volume production of PCBA including manufacturing execution, nonconforming product management, configuration management, traceability tracking, and process control
- Manage new product introduction of PCBA assemblies, working closely with design engineers and process specialists
- Use process capability analysis, gauge R&R, and other tools to lead new equipment selection
- Design and implement systems to improve the safety of the PCBA production line
- Manage work instructions, process documentation, and training
- Track schedule, work-in-progress levels, and defect rates of owned products
- Identify trends and opportunities for optimizing product output, quality enhancements, and cost of manufacturability
- Provide feedback to the engineering design team to improve design for manufacturability
- Identify, root-cause, and correct SMT production and testing issues
- Drive corrective actions and process improvements on owned processes and products
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
- 1+ years of demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas: manufacturing engineering, surface mount technology (SMT), accelerated testing, hardware debug/triage, design for reliability, or printed circuit board (PCB) design and layout (school and project experience will qualify)
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- High volume production experience (consumer goods, automotive, etc.)