Manufacturing Engineer (Merlin Nozzle Extension) - 2nd Shift Job at Space Explor
Space Exploration Technologies, Hawthorne, CA, US
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. MANUFACTURING ENGINEER (MERLIN NOZZLE EXTENSION) - 2ND SHIFT As a manufacturing engineer, contribute to producing C103 nozzle extensions for Falcon 9's second-stage Merlin engines-essential niobium alloy components optimized for high-altitude efficiency. Focus on precision GTAW welding, material forming, and quality assurance in a collaborative setting that supports reliable space missions. Your contributions will enhance the performance that drives successful satellite deployments at the world's leading rocket manufacturer!
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support day-to-day production of the Merlin Nozzle Extension, which includes manufacturing processes such as machining, GTAW / TIG welding, mechanical forming, proof testing, precision cleaning, non-destructive testing, heat treat, and assembly
- Analyze and disposition recurring manufacturing discrepancies and lead multi-disciplinary teams on root cause analysis and corrective actions
- Develop new and evaluate existing manufacturing processes and equipment to reduce non-conformance frequency/severity and reduce operating costs
- Provide subject matter expertise on manufacturing processes and products, including peer mentoring and development of teammates
- Identify and execute design-for-manufacturability improvements that have system-wide improvements to the department
- Communicate on a daily basis with supporting departments such as production, machining, maintenance, quality, and design engineering to ensure that product is delivered on time to the correct quantities
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or physics
- 1+ years of mechanical design or hands-on manufacturing experience (internship and project experience is applicable)
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master's degree in an engineering discipline
- Experience with aerospace welding systems (e.g. electron beam, TIG, friction stir)
- Experience with non-destructive testing/non-destructive evaluation (e.g. fluorescent penetrant inspection, radiography, Eddy Current, Ultrasonic Testing, etc.)
- Experience with metallurgical evaluation and testing
- Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) experience
- CAD experience (NX & Teamcenter a plus)
- Tooling design experience
- Design for manufacturability and assembly experience
- Experience with capacity modeling, process mapping, and fault analysis
- Experience with Lean Six Sigma or equivalent high-performance culture systems
- Pareto analysis, root cause, and corrective action experience
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
- This position is onsite in Hawthorne, CA - remote work not considered
- This position is for 2nd shift: M-F (3:30pm-2:00am)