Supervisor, Starship Heat Shield – Multiple Shifts

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.

SUPERVISOR, STARSHIP HEAT SHIELD

The Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) team tackles Space Exploration’s toughest problems by developing the heat shields for our next generation rockets and spacecraft. This hardware must survive the most extreme environments known to mankind and protect our vehicle through atmospheric entry. The Supervisor is responsible for leading a team of operators, fabricators, and technicians building the ceramic heat shield tiles for Starship. The Supervisor must drive progress on an hour-by-hour and day-by-day basis. The Supervisor of the team will take technical direction from the Engineering team and execute those directions by building, retaining, and managing their team effectively; distributing labor resources, prioritizing certain aspects of the build, and setting headcount requirements where necessary.

The Supervisor is also a key enabler to a successful, productive, highly effective culture of responsibility and accountability with a large emphasis on individual improvement. For this role specifically, it is highly important that the Supervisor is an inspiring leader often-times working side by side with their build team to execute on the mission to bring the capability of flying astronauts back to the United States.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervise shop floor activity including daily schedules and workflow.
• Lead and manage a staff of ~20 technicians including all performance management related tasks.
• Continuously improve process and manpower efficiency, utilization, and productivity.
• Review work instructions, and make change recommendations when needed to engineering and the shop floor.
• Assess and vet the appropriate skillset needed.
• Identify training needs, and develop training programs to meet present and future mission needs.
• Provide required data and reporting to support departmental metrics and improvement objectives.
• Monitor labor hours and overtime, and implement improvement plans and time management with staff.
• Accomplish production results by communicating job expectations; plan, monitor, and appraise job results.
• Effectively organize, assign, and track work/deliverables for the team; ensure seamless progression through multi-shift work schedules.
• Initiate and foster a spirit of cooperation within and between departments.
• Ensure product quality and conformance to specifications.
• Maintain tooling and consumable supply inventory.
• Improve area safety and efficiency through regular auditing and continuous improvement.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or equivalency certificate. 
• 2+ years in a leadership position.
• 4+ years in manufacturing or production 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience with applying lean manufacturing principles, efficiency methods.
• 10+ years of experience in final assembly and production in a fast paced aerospace manufacturing environment.
• Experience bringing teams and processes from development to production.
• Familiarity with Design for Manufacturability, Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Failure Mode Effects Analysis.
• Ability to effectively communicate (verbal and written) with Engineering and Production.
• Able to adapt to constant changing work assignments and fast paced work environment.
• Excellent concentration and attention to detail with outstanding work efficiency and accuracy.
• Prior leadership experience either military or aerospace industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to stand for extended periods – 8 hours min.
• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed – anticipated 25% travel. 
• Must be able to travel for short and extended trips as needed.
• Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
 
Pay Range:
Supervisor: $105,000.00 - $135,000.00/per year
 
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards,