Sr. Production Development Engineer (Starlink)

As a Sr. Production Development Engineer at SpaceX, your main responsibilities will include designing user terminal production factory systems, implementing data acquisition for production metrics, defining new business processes for high-volume manufacturing, and coordinating with internal teams and subcontractors. You’ll also lead floor layout designs and process flow analysis to ensure timely product delivery while acting as a subject matter expert in multiple production processes.

To apply for the Sr. Production Development Engineer position at SpaceX, you will need a bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline, along with at least 5 years of experience in manufacturing or industrial project management. Experience with high volume production, SQL databases, and lean engineering concepts will also give you a competitive edge.

Experience with high volume production is highly valuable for a Sr. Production Development Engineer at SpaceX. It enables you to understand the complexities involved in managing large-scale manufacturing processes, optimizing product output, and ensuring quality control, especially in the context of the ambitious Starlink project.

As a Sr. Production Development Engineer at SpaceX, you can expect a fast-paced and dynamic environment. The role challenges you to solve complex problems under tight deadlines while collaborating with multiple teams, ensuring every day is different and full of exciting opportunities to innovate and improve.

The pay range for a Sr. Production Development Engineer at SpaceX is between $125,000.00 and $175,000.00 per year. Your actual salary will depend on your skills, educational background, and relevant experience. Additionally, you may be eligible for other incentives such as stock options and bonuses.

When asked about your experience with factory design for high-volume production, it's essential to highlight specific projects you've worked on. Talk about the layout design, processes you implemented, and how you tackled challenges to improve efficiency and output rates.

In answering how you approach problem-solving in a production environment, share your thought process and methodologies such as root cause analysis and lean principles. Provide an example of a significant problem you solved, focusing on the positive impacts of your solution.

When discussing strategies for quality control in production, mention techniques like implementing process audits, using statistical quality control methods, and employing real-time monitoring systems. Providing examples from previous roles where you successfully enhanced quality metrics can strengthen your answer.

In response to how you would define new business processes, outline your methodology for analyzing existing workflows, gathering insights from cross-functional teams, and ensuring alignment with production goals. Share a concrete example of a new process you implemented and its resulting improvements.

To address how you handle tight deadlines, emphasize your time management skills and teamwork strategies. Discuss methods you use to prioritize tasks, communicate effectively with team members, and keep morale high during challenging projects.

When asked about your SQL database experience, discuss your proficiency in writing queries, analyzing data for insights, and how you’ve utilized SQL to optimize production processes or resolve issues. Mention specific tools or projects you've worked on to add credibility.

In answering the importance of communication, emphasize how it’s vital for aligning teams, sharing updates, and troubleshooting issues. Give examples of situations where clear communication positively impacted project outcomes.

When discussing familiarity with lean engineering and Six Sigma, detail your knowledge of their principles and any certifications or training you’ve completed. Highlight how you’ve applied these methodologies to reduce waste and enhance efficiency in past roles.

Talk about any projects where you've created dashboards or custom software for production systems. Highlight the tools and technologies you used, the problem you aimed to solve, and the positive outcomes that resulted from these developments.

In response to ensuring collaboration, discuss strategies such as regular cross-departmental meetings, establishing clear communication channels, and using collaborative tools. Illustrate with an example of a successful project where collaboration was key to achieving the production goals.