The opportunity
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.
What you'll do
Partner deeply with responsible engineers, signal-integrity, power, and: packaging teams to co-define commodity strategy, multi-year technology roadmaps, and approved vendor lists for board mechanicals and connectors — high-speed I/O (OSFP, OSFP-XD, QSFP-DD, PCIe CEM, MCIO, SlimSAS, backplane and mezzanine), power connectors (including 48V, blind-mate, and busbar interfaces), CPU and accelerator sockets, DIMM sockets, cages and EMI hardware, standoffs, latches, ejectors, retention backplates, and related board-level mechanicals- anticipating SpaceXAI interconnect and density requirements 12–24 months ahead
Own global sourcing end-to-end for connectors and board mechanicals,: including supplier selection, qualification, dual/multi-sourcing on constrained high-speed and socket SKUs, capacity reservation, and performance governance to achieve on-time delivery and continuous lead-time compression while supporting SpaceX's aggressive cluster build cadence
Define and negotiate transformative SOWs and commercial agreements that: rigorously challenge unnecessary specifications, drive value engineering of connector footprints and mechanical stack-ups, secure aggressive pricing, dedicated tooling and capacity, and flexibility without compromising SI, power, and reliability standards required for SpaceX training clusters
Drive continuous cost leadership through should-cost modeling of connectors,: cages, and precision stampings/die-castings, design-for-manufacturability and design-for-assembly reviews, SKU rationalization, and long-term pricing agreements that meaningfully reduce total cost of ownership while accelerating time-to-scale
Act as the supplier interface for all RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs; visit connector: and precision-mechanical factories and accurately assess process capability (stamping, plating, molding, automated assembly), quality systems, financial health, and capacity before awarding NPI and production contracts
Monitor global industry trends in high-speed interconnect (224G/448G,: co-packaged and near-package copper), power-connector standards, socket roadmaps, and plating/materials constraints; partner with design teams to identify and mitigate sole-source, allocation, and obsolescence risk before it hits the board spin or the factory
What they're looking for
- Work with supply chain engineers and component engineers to develop: requirements for both NPI and production phases; drive second-source and footprint-compatible strategies without compromising SI or mechanical fit
- Standardize and automate NPI-to-mass-production processes, implement: inventory models for long-lead connectors and custom mechanicals (including consignment and just-in-time tailored to SpaceX's build velocity), and establish clear KPIs for cost, quality, speed, yield, and resilience that are reviewed weekly with leadership
- Present value propositions to executives, including those related to contract: award, tooling, cost reviews, and critical interconnect supply issues
- Build and maintain a world-class supply base through strategic relationships: with connector OEMs (and their authorized channels), socket suppliers, and precision mechanical fabricators; run executive business reviews and performance scorecards that position SpaceX as the preferred high-velocity partner