Welding Supervisor (Starship Mechanisms)

SpaceX
Hawthorne, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

A natural match if you have experience in aerospace manufacturing and leading teams.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with leadership experience in aerospace or military production environments
    — “10+ years of experience in final assembly and production in a fast-paced aerospace manufacturing environment
  • Individuals with strong technical welding expertise and process improvement knowledge
    — “Experience welding in GTAW, GMAW, or laser welding
  • Candidates who can build and maintain a high-performance team culture
    — “Foster a collaborative, productive, safe, and fun work environment

Things to consider

  • Must be eligible for Air Force background checks for certain locations
    — “Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg
  • Role requires physical stamina and flexibility for extended hours and weekends
    — “Must be able to stand for extended periods – 8 hours min

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in transitioning teams and processes from development to production
    — “Experience bringing teams and processes from development to production
  • Emphasize lean manufacturing and quality improvement initiatives led
    — “Familiarity with Design for Manufacturability, Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and failure mode effects analysis
  • Showcase leadership in safety audits and continuous improvement projects
    — “Improve area safety and efficiency through regular auditing and continuous improvement
  • Demonstrate ability to manage multi-shift teams and ensure seamless workflow
    — “Effectively organize, assign and track work/deliverables for the team by ensuring seamless progression through multi-shift work schedules
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Senior

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • oversee welding and assembly
  • recruit and retain team
  • drive production efficiency
Typical background
2+ years of leadership experience5+ years of manufacturing experience

Skills & requirements

Required

WeldingSupervisionTeam ManagementSafety StandardsInventory ManagementProduction SchedulingQuality Control

Preferred

Lean ManufacturingFailure Mode Effects Analysis

Stack & domain

GTAWGMAWLaser WeldingAWS D1.1AWS D1.6AWS D1.7.1AWS D1.2Lean Manufacturing PrinciplesEfficiency MethodsDesign For ManufacturabilityKaizenLean ManufacturingSix SigmaFailure Mode Effects AnalysisCommunicationAdaptabilityAttention To DetailWork EfficiencyAccuracyLeadershipCollaborationProblem-solvingRecruitmentRetentionPerformance ManagementTrainingReportingAuditingContinuous ImprovementWeldingAssemblyProductionAerospaceManufacturing

About the role

Original posting from SpaceX via Greenhouse

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.

WELDING SUPERVISOR (STARSHIP MECHANISMS)

The Hawthorne Starship Mechanisms team is responsible for building, welding, and assembling mechanisms and subassemblies for the world’s most powerful rocket. The supervisor of this team will guide a team of technicians and welders to build out a growing work center, drive high quality and safety standards, grow welding expertise, generate creative solutions to overcome issues, and spearhead a production schedule to keep downstream integration areas fed at increasing launch rates. The supervisor is not only responsible for driving progress on hour-by-hour and day-by-day basis, but also establishing a productive, motivational, and hard-working culture on the shop floor.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Oversee two shifts of Starship’s main sheet metal and assembly build center producing large stainless-steel structures for use on orbital and interplanetary variants of the rocket’s stages

Recruit, retain, and lead a diverse and productive team of ~30 welders and technicians including all performance management related tasks

Foster a collaborative, productive, safe, and fun work environment

Monitor labor hours and overtime; implement improvement plans

Identify training needs, and develop training programs

Report on efficiency and utilization metrics to continually improve the output of the workforce

Report on quality metrics. and play a leading role in finding and fixing the root cause of workmanship issues

Implement machine maintenance schedules and back-up spares availability to ensure uptime and output performance

Effectively organize, assign and track work/deliverables for the team by ensuring seamless progression through multi-shift work schedules

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 of experience in a leadership position

Bachelor's degree or 5+ years of experience in assembly or production, in aviation, aerospace, or military 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Experience welding in GTAW, GMAW, or laser welding

Knowledge of AWS D1.1, D1.6, D17.1, and D1.2

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 attention to detail with outstanding work efficiency and accuracy

Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be able to stand for extended periods – 8 hours min

Must be able to work extended hours and weekends as needed

Must be able to travel for short and extended trips as needed, up to 5%

Ability to pass Air Force background checks for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:            

Pay range:       

Welding Supervisor: $110,000.00 - $140,000.00/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 or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

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 reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com. 

Source: SpaceX careers (Greenhouse)

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