SpaceX - Dragon 2

As a manufacturing engineer for the Dragon 2 program, I work on the exterior structures team. Specifically I work on the capsule module, or the upper part of the spaceship. My job is to develop manufacturing processes, devise solutions to fix part defects, drive continuous improvement, and deliver parts on time to support the highest volume launch provider in the world.

The manufacturing processes I own or have owned are thermal protection system application, part machining, mechanical assembly, and the entirety of part refurbishment / reuse. The Dragon 2 team is successfully developing the worlds most reliable, and only rapidly refurbish-able spacecraft capable of orbital and extended duration flight. During my time on the dragon backshell team, I have helped drive development of the refurbishment process as well as helped develop a rate based manufacturing system for the hardware.

Every day at work I get hands on problem solving challenges as well as hands on manufacturing experience building the only human rated spacecraft to launch from the United States since the space shuttle. I am fortunate to know that I am working on consequential hardware where failure is not an option, and to know that I am protecting our crews from ascent to re-entry. It is incredibly humbling work on a system and a team that has proved itself trustworthy of our customers safety.