Process Engineer, Plastic Injection Molding (Starlink)

PROCESS ENGINEER, PLASTIC INJECTION MOLDING (STARLINK)

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 provides 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.

Working directly in the Manufacturing Engineering group, this position will primarily support the manufacturing and development of SpaceX’s Starlink product components alongside a strong group of mechanical and materials engineers. The goal of the team is to develop new manufacturing methods and qualify processes to be introduced into production. As a Process Engineer, you will be responsible for maintaining daily production uptime of fully automated molding machines, including all subsequent pre- and post-mold operations such as trimming, insert loading, and automated part handling. This position also involves the proper documentation of process settings through setup sheets and maintenance of process books and their contents.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and qualify injection molding processes through the means of decoupled scientific molding and mold flow simulations
• Lead design of experiments (DOE) to establish a stable and robust process that can be handed off to production personnel
• Develop detailed training manuals and independently train production staff on machine and cell operations
• Solely responsible for establishing work instructions that will drive day to day operations in the injection molding cell
• Audit manufacturing process - assessing process inefficiencies, safety improvements, and potential optimizations through the implementation of automation
• Independently design, fabricate, and integrate tooling (robotic end of arm tooling, quality check fixtures, go/no-go gauges, and other tools) that can be incorporated into the process and planning to further improve and refine the molding process
• Determine requirements for validating product conformance as well as establishing the requirements for lot traceability and inspections as defined in the process qualification and design of experiments
• Manage supply chain of raw materials through research of polymers, trading cost and lead time
• Independently install, maintain, and troubleshoot relay, ladder diagrams, components, photo-eyes, motor starters, limit switches, proximity sensors, solenoids, etc.
• Develop methodology and process to monitor die temperatures and automated evaluation (including acceptance criteria) for start-up procedure vs. steady-state production
• Solve technical and emergent issues on the manufacturing cell (part quality, machine reliability, process instability, etc.)
• Monitor all process parameters and peripherals in injection molding cell, including driers, thermal control units, and testing equipment to ensure correct operation and performance
• Create and manage die spare parts lists and ensure parts are set up and in stock prior to start of production
• Create and manage die PM system, including detailed work instructions and manage on schedule completion of PM activities

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, materials engineering or other engineering discipline
• 2+ years injection molding experience in a production environment

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree or PhD in materials engineering or mechanical engineering
• 3+ years of experience troubleshooting and programming 6-axis and Cartesian robots in plastic molding cells
• Experience with hydraulic/pneumatic and mechanical maintenance
• Experience in independently troubleshooting advanced electrical circuits, electronic systems, motors & starters, electrically operated equipment and making successful repairs and modifications
• Able to interpret geometrical tolerances on part drawings
• Electrical wiring experience and some knowledge of how PLCs, sensors, and other electrical components are wired and work

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Able to travel for business trips as needed (up to 70%) to Hawthorne, CA for initial training (2-4 weeks) and up to 10% on an ongoing basis
• Ability to lift up to 25 Ibs. unassisted
• Standing/walking for long periods of time
• Willingness to work long hours and weekends as necessary to accommodate manufacturing and test campaigns

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:  

Pay range:    
Process Engineer/Level I: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year    
Process Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00/per year    

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Exempt employees are eligible for 5 days of sick leave per year.