Rf Development Engineer Jobs in Kentucky (NOW HIRING)

Bastrop, TX

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 ofenabling human life on Mars.

Starlink User Terminal business is experiencing exponential growth across consumer, retail, enterprise, and mobility applications. This rapid expansion requires a highly resilient and scalable supply chain for printed circuit boards (PCBs) that form the foundation of our User Terminals. We are seeking a technically strong engineer to drive supplier selection, development, qualification, and scaling specifically for the PCB portfolio in high-volume production.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in PCB manufacturing processes, materials, quality systems, and reliability, combined with practical experience developing suppliers for high-volume electronics. This role demands a strong balance of hands-on technical capability, understanding of manufacturing capability, and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to mature suppliers rapidly to support Starlink’s aggressive growth targets.

The Supplier Development Engineer will be responsible for executing supplier strategies focused on bare PCBs, multilayer boards, high-frequency/RF PCBs, including and not limited to raw materials used in PCB fabrications. This position will have significant technical influence across Starlink engineering, quality, and supply chain teams. Success requires solid engineering judgment, strong communication skills, and the ability to turn suppliers into reliable, high-volume production partners.

• Own supplier development activities for the PCB portfolio within the Starlink User Terminal Bill of Materials, with primary focus on managing incoming PCB supply chain quality and reliability.
• Build and maintain a resilient, high-quality, and scalable supply base capable of supporting high-volume production ramp and sustained growth of the Starlink User Terminal business.
• Assess supplier manufacturing capabilities, including production capacity, process stability, equipment suitability, process windows, material control, and overall technical readiness for high-volume PCB fabrication (lamination, drilling, plating, etching, solder mask, surface finishes, impedance control, and automated optical/electrical testing).
• Lead Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), First Article Inspections (FAI), production rate ramps, and reliability campaigns to enable high-volume manufacturing.
• Develop and execute robust qualification plans tailored to PCBs, including dimensional and electrical verification, RF performance testing, thermal/mechanical reliability demonstration, and compliance to applicable standards.
• Create and standardize qualification protocols across the PCB supply base, including equipment buy-off checklists, Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), and consistent reliability demonstration methods.
• Drive supplier performance improvement through Lean methodologies, supplier scorecards, process audits, and systematic problem solving to deliver measurable gains in quality, cost, and on-time delivery.
• Perform root cause analysis and lead corrective actions for quality issues, with focus on common PCB defect modes and failure mechanisms such as delamination, plating voids or thin plating, open/short circuits, warpage, copper thickness variation, solder mask defects, impedance drift, CAF (conductive anodic filament), pad cratering, and material-related reliability issues.
• Partner closely with Design Engineering, Reliability Engineering, RF/Electrical teams, and Production to ensure supplier processes and manufacturing capability align with Starlink’s high-volume product requirements and performance goals.
• Support continuous improvement of supplier quality systems and manufacturing processes to meet escalating volume, cost, and reliability targets for both standard and high-frequency/RF PCBs used in indoor and outdoor-rated products.
• Qualify new suppliers and manage ongoing performance of the incoming PCB supply base.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Material Science, RF Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in PCB engineering, quality engineering, reliability engineering, or supplier development.

• Strong technical background in manufacturing processes, materials, quality systems, and high-volume electronics production.
• Hands-on knowledge of high-volume PCB manufacturing processes including multilayer lamination, mechanical/laser drilling, electroless and electrolytic plating, etching, solder mask application, surface finishes (ENIG, HASL, OSP, etc.), impedance control, and automated inspection/testing, with demonstrated understanding of manufacturing capability assessment.
• Experience with PPAP, APQP, PFMEA, DFMEA, and First Article Inspection specifically for PCBs and electronic interconnects.
• Deep familiarity with relevant IPC standards (e.g., IPC-A-600, IPC-6012, IPC-6013, IPC-4101, IPC-4552, IPC-TM-650) as well as related quality and reliability standards.
• Strong understanding of PCB reliability, common defect modes, failure analysis techniques, and material science aspects of laminates, copper foils, and finishes.
• Practical experience qualifying rigid, flex, rigid‑flex, and high‑frequency/RF PCBs for high-volume production, including controlled impedance, high‑speed digital, and RF performance requirements.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing capability evaluations, including capacity analysis, Cp/Cpk process capability studies, process window validation, and scalability for high-volume PCB production.
• Strong problem‑solving skills using 8D, 5‑Why, fishbone analysis, and statistical methods (JMP, Design of Experiments, Six Sigma).
• Knowledge of reliability engineering practices such as accelerated life testing, thermal cycling, humidity exposure, thermal shock, CAF testing, and PCB‑specific failure mechanism analysis.
• Ability to read and interpret 2D drawings, Gerber/ODB++ files, stack‑up designs, material specifications, and performance requirements.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing concepts, supplier scorecard systems, and high‑volume process capability (Cp/Cpk).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to distill complex technical topics into clear one‑pagers and presentations.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross‑functional teams and suppliers in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment.

• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time, both domestically and internationally.
• Position may require extended working hours and occasional weekends to support production ramps and critical issue resolution.
• 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 ... should reach out toEEOCompliance@spacex.com .

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in SpaceX’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Form CC-305 Page 1 of 1 OMB Control Number 1250-0005 Expires 07/31/2029

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp .

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
• Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
• Blind or low vision
• Cancer (past or present)
• Cardiovascular or heart disease
• Celiac disease
• Cerebral palsy
• Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
• Diabetes
• Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
• Intellectual or developmental disability
• Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
• Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
• Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
• Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Neurodivergence, for example, attention‑deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
• Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
• Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
• Short stature (dwarfism)
• Traumatic brain injury

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.