Process Engineer, Plastic Injection Molding (Starlink) at SpaceX
Hawthorne, CA, United States
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.
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 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 related engineering discipline
2+ years injection molding experience
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Advanced degree 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:
Willingness to travel to other SpaceX sites and/or vendors for significant/extended periods of time (in excess of 50% of the time)
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
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
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 notify the Human Resources Department at (310) 363-6000.
