Sourcing Manager, Rack Components, Cooling/Mechanicals (Starlink)

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 hardware. In 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 SpaceX's 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 SpaceX's 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 12–24 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 SpaceX's 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 SpaceX's 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 SpaceX's 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:

• Bachelor’s 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 SpaceX's 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