Starship Build Reliability - Test Engineer

As a Starship Build Reliability Engineer at SpaceX, your primary responsibilities will include developing and enforcing manufacturing processes, designing tooling for various testing and assembly activities, and documenting inspection requirements. You'll also create training for production teams and drive continuous quality improvements, ensuring that all processes are efficient and aligned with production goals.

To apply for the Starship Build Reliability Engineer position at SpaceX, you should have a Bachelor's degree in relevant engineering fields such as mechanical, aerospace, or manufacturing engineering. Additionally, having at least one year of experience in manufacturing or design engineering roles will strengthen your application, including internships or student projects.

Preferred skills for the Starship Build Reliability Engineer role include knowledge of manufacturing techniques, experience with mechanical tooling and design for manufacturability, as well as proficiency with 3D CAD software like SolidWorks or CATIA. Familiarity with database querying and data visualization tools such as SQL and Power BI is also beneficial.

As a Starship Build Reliability Engineer at SpaceX, you can expect a dynamic, hands-on work environment. You'll be collaborating closely with a diverse team of engineers and technicians in both office settings and on the shop floor, emphasizing practical experience in building and testing aerospace systems.

The role of a Starship Build Reliability Engineer is crucial to SpaceX’s mission of making human life multi-planetary. By ensuring the manufacturing processes are reliable and efficient, you directly contribute to the safety and effectiveness of SpaceX’s spacecraft, ultimately supporting our goal of enabling human life on Mars.

In your response, detail the problem you encountered, the steps you took to diagnose the issue, and how you implemented a solution. Make sure to emphasize your analytical skills and your ability to collaborate with other team members in the process.

Share specific examples of projects where you used CAD software like SolidWorks or CATIA, describing how it aided you in the design process. Highlight any complexities you managed and the end results of those projects.

Discuss your method for gathering requirements, collaborating with stakeholders, and implementing changes iteratively. Emphasize the importance of testing and validating each step to ensure efficiency and reliability.

Explain your approach to monitoring production processes, including the use of inspection protocols and data visualization. Highlight your proactive measures in identifying potential issues before they impact quality.

Define DFM in your own words and provide examples of how you've applied its principles in past projects. Discuss how you collaborated with design teams to enhance manufacturability without compromising design intent.

Share a specific instance where you effectively managed a conflict and ensured collaboration among team members. Highlight your communication skills and ability to focus on collective goals despite disagreements.

Articulate your thoughts on industry challenges such as automation, sustainability, or supply chain issues. Offer insights on how engineers can address these challenges while maintaining efficiency and quality.

Discuss your strategies for time management and prioritization. Explain how you assess the urgency and importance of tasks to meet deadlines without sacrificing quality.

Share your passion for aerospace and the meaningful impact it has on humanity's future. Reflect on specific aspects that excite you about working at SpaceX and how they align with your career goals.

Share your aspirations within the aerospace sector, such as advancing your technical skills or taking on leadership roles. Make sure to align your goals with SpaceX's mission to inspire the interviewer about your commitment to the company.