Engineering Manager, Silicon Assembly (Starlink)

Bastrop, Texas, United StatesOnsiteFull TimeManager / HeadPosted 2 months agoVisa sponsorship available

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Role summary

SpaceX is seeking an Engineering Manager for Silicon Assembly within the Starlink mission. This role involves leading a team of 10-20 manufacturing engineers and specialists focused on integrated circuit packaging and assembly. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve yield, reduce cycle times, and minimize downtime. Responsibilities include implementing data-driven improvements, conducting root cause analysis, ensuring quality metrics, and mentoring/hiring talent. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree in engineering, 5+ years in semiconductor manufacturing or automation, and 2+ years in a leadership role. Experience with semiconductor equipment, quality management systems, and budget management is preferred.

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.

ENGINEERING MANAGER, SILICON ASSEMBLY (STARLINK)

One of the most ambitious missions that SpaceX has undertaken to date, the Starlink satellite constellation, is our solution to providing reliable internet to the entire world.  In true SpaceX fashion, Starlink is taking the next step in vertical integration by bringing integrated circuit packaging and assembly in-house for development and manufacturing. You will work closely with IC packaging engineers, design engineers, test engineers, hardware reliability teams, equipment manufacturers and management to introduce novel products and processes, as well as drive operational efficiency and continuous improvement through the high-performance teams you cultivate and develop through engaged and decisive leadership. The success of Starlink depends on the quality, reliability, cost, manufacturability, throughput, and security of the products that you deliver. If you seek a fast-paced, dynamic environment, thrive on solving difficult problems where resolutions have high impact, and love the challenge of building something from scratch, then this role will be an ideal next career step.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead a rapidly expanding (10-20) team of multi-disciplinary manufacturing engineers & specialists spanning automation/controls, photolithography (develop and imaging), thin films, dry films (lamination), electrochemical plating, etch (wet & dry), compression molding, singulation (wafer sort & panel saw), die attach & ball grid array attach, & RF test

Collaborate with production, development/process engineering, and supply chain teams to identify equipment needs and develop solutions that improve yield, reduce cycle times, improve efficiency, and minimize downtime in silicon packaging manufacturing lines

Implement data-driven improvements using Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and formalize comprehensive Out of Control Action Plan (OCAP) procedures by module to maintain extreme ownership of robust high-volume automated manufacturing lines

Conduct regular reviews of assembly and test yields, conduct root cause analysis, oversee/implement corrective actions for product non-conformance, and drive overall quality metrics to 3-sigma repeatability

Ensure compliance with industry standards (e.g., ISO, SEMI, JEDEC) and SpaceX safety protocols, while fostering culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence, and high-performance

Mentor and develop team members, conduct performance reviews, and hire top talent to build a world-class manufacturing engineering group

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline

5+ years of experience in semiconductor process engineering, manufacturing, or automation

2+ years in a leadership or management role

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Advanced degree (master's or PhD) in a relevant engineering discipline (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering)

Experience in the semiconductor industry, integrated circuitry industry (FPGA, ASIC, high power components), or experience leading new product integration

Experience with the equipment and support systems used to manufacture semiconductors (front-end wafer and back-end packaging)

Experience with equipment qualification, validation, and troubleshooting in cleanroom or controlled environments

Proficiency in programming for automation (e.g. structured text, ladder logic, C++) and simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB, LabVIEW)

Demonstrated ability to manage budgets exceeding $10M and leading multidisciplinary teams in agile development cycles

Excellent communication skills with experience presenting technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Experience owning engineering processes in low-high mix/extreme high-volume, and implementing/sustaining quality management systems (e.g. ISO9001, AS9100)

Passion for space exploration and alignment with SpaceX's mission to make life multi-planetary

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be willing to work overtime and weekends as needed

Able to travel up to 10% as needed for vendor engagement, workshops, factory acceptance testing

Standing for long periods of time, climbing up and down ladders, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, and stretching may be required to perform the functions of this position

Must be able to lift up to 25lbs. unassisted

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 EEOCompliance@spacex.com.

Sample SpaceX interview questions

1
Build a distributed platform for storing and serving digital assets.
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2
Develop a web app that shortens URLs like TinyURL.
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3
Propose a high-level design for a tracing system that can handle millions of spans per second across thousands of services.
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4
Iterator over a Binary Search Tree Implement an iterator over a binary search tree. Input: root = [7,3,15,null,null,9,20], calls: next(), hasNext(), next() Output: 3, TRUE, 7 Explanation: The iterator yields the smallest value (3), confirms more nodes exist, then properly yields the next in-order value (7).
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5
Count Anagrammatic Substrings Count the number of anagrammatic substrings from one string present in another. Input: s = "abab", p = "ab" Output: [0, 1, 2] Explanation: The substrings "ab", "ba", and "ab" starting at indices 0, 1, and 2 respectively are all anagrams of the string "ab".
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