Sourcing Manager, Rack Components, CoolingMechanicals (Starlink)

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.

SOURCING MANAGER RACK COMPONENTS COOLING/MECHANICALS (STARLINK)

We are seeking a world-class Sourcing Manager to own end-to-end sourcing strategy supplier management and delivery of rack-level cooling and mechanical components for SpaceXAI compute and network this role you will partner deeply with responsible engineers thermal architects and rack mechanical teams to define commodity strategy craft and optimize statements of work (SOW) aggressively challenge unnecessary specifications and costs and drive rack hardware execution at extreme velocity and scale. You will elevate fabricator and cooling-OEM relationships into true strategic partnerships that deliver unprecedented on-time delivery quality cost efficiency and flexibility while powering SpaceXs record-breaking cluster deployment cadence. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in datacenter rack mechanicals and in-rack cooling thrives in high-ambiguity/high-velocity environments and turns the rack supply base into a core competitive advantage and force multiplier for SpaceXs AI infrastructure leadership.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Partner deeply with responsible engineers thermal architects and rack mechanical teams to co-define commodity strategy multi-year technology roadmaps and approved vendor lists for rack-level cooling and mechanicals OCP / 21 and 19 rack frames and cabinets doors and side panels seismic and leveling kits cable-management arms and blanking rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx) in-rack manifolds and plumbing drip pans and leak containment rack-mounted CDUs where in-scope in-rack fans and containment dripless quick disconnects at the rack PDU and busbar mounting hardware and structural fasteners anticipating SpaceXAI density and deployment requirements 1224 months ahead
• Own global sourcing end-to-end for rack cooling and mechanicals including supplier selection qualification of sheet-metal / weldment / liquid-cooling fabricators dual/multi-sourcing capacity reservation and performance governance to achieve on-time delivery and continuous lead-time compression while supporting SpaceXs aggressive cluster build cadence
• Define and negotiate transformative SOWs and commercial agreements that rigorously challenge unnecessary specifications drive value engineering of rack weldments manifolds and RDHx designs secure aggressive pricing dedicated manufacturing capacity and flexibility without compromising structural leak and thermal standards required for SpaceX training clusters
• Drive continuous cost leadership through should-cost modeling of rack frames doors manifolds and heat exchangers; design-for-manufacturability and design-for-assembly reviews; specification optimization; 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 rack and cooling factories and accurately assess stamping welding powder-coat brazing/welding of manifolds leak-test capability financial health and capacity before awarding NPI and production contracts
• Monitor global industry trends in high-density rack cooling (RDHx in-rack manifolds liquid-to-rack architectures dripless couplings) and rack mechanical standards (OCP EIA); partner with design teams to identify and mitigate long-lead tooling and sole-source risk before it hits cluster deployment
• Standardize and automate NPI-to-mass-production processes implement inventory and WIP optimization models (including consignment and just-in-time tailored to SpaceXs build velocity) and establish clear KPIs for cost quality speed leak/yield and resilience that are reviewed weekly with leadership
• Lead supplier innovation programs- challenge and collaborate with vendors on modular rack packages higher-capacity RDHx optimized manifolding faster install features and next-generation in-rack cooling that accelerate SpaceXs hardware roadmap and reduce total cost of ownership
• Present value propositions to executives including those related to contract award tooling cost reviews and critical rack-hardware supply issues
• Build and maintain a world-class supply base through strategic relationships with rack OEMs precision sheet-metal fabricators RDHx and manifold suppliers and quick-disconnect manufacturers; run executive business reviews and performance scorecards that position SpaceX as the preferred high-velocity partner

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors degree and 6 years of experience working in one or more of the following; or 9 years of experience working in one or more of the following in lieu of a degree:
  • Business
  • Manufacturing
  • Supply Chain
  • Engineering
• 4 years of experience in global supply chain commodity management or mechanical sourcing with a focus on racks cabinets sheet metal manifolds or datacenter cooling hardware

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Deep technical understanding of datacenter rack mechanicals (OCP / EIA frames doors seismic kits) and in-rack cooling (RDHx manifolds dripless QDs rack-level CDUs leak containment)
• Proven track record sourcing rack sheet-metal or liquid-cooling commodities at hyperscale at rack OEMs or at cooling/mechanical suppliers (e.g. Vertiv Rittal nVent CoolIT Boyd manifold and QD specialists)
• Hands-on familiarity with sheet-metal drawings weldment specs powder-coat leak testing hydrostatic test requirements and the difference between rack-level vs. facility-level cooling scope (dry coolers chillers and plant CDUs are out of scope for this seat)
• Previous experience at hyperscalers leading ODMs Tier-1 CMs or AI infrastructure companies with aggressive scaling demands
• Demonstrated success negotiating complex SOWs challenging specifications and costs and delivering results in ambiguous high-velocity environments with extreme timelines and massive scale
• Experience reading technical drawings data sheets fabrication drawings BOMs and related files
• Strong negotiation analytical project management and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Familiarity with commodity management long-lead tooling roadmap planning and approved vendor list processes in a manufacturing context
• Passion for SpaceXs mission and excitement about enabling the fastest AI infrastructure builds on Earth

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed (up to 25%) to support supplier factories audits and critical projects
• Ability to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to meet major cluster-deployment milestones
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment with rapidly evolving priorities and world-class execution speed
• This position is based in Austin TX and requires being onsite remote work not considered

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 SpaceXs Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to.