Manager - Manufacturing Engineering & Technolog

About the Role

We are a team of collaborators, doers, and problem-solvers who are relentlessly committed to a culture of safety. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your commitment and detailed attention toward safe and repeatable spaceflight. Join us in lowering the cost of access to space and enabling Blue Origin's vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth.

As Manager of Manufacturing Engineering, you will lead a high-performing team of manufacturing engineers dedicated to translating engineering intent into flight-ready hardware. You will set the strategic direction for manufacturing processes, champion a culture of continuous improvement, and serve as the critical bridge between engineering design, operations, and program leadership. This is a highly visible leadership role that requires equal parts technical depth, people leadership, and operational execution. If you are energized by building strong teams, solving hard problems, and making a direct contribution to human spaceflight, we want to hear from you.

As a part of the Operations business unit supporting Blue National Security, you will focus on the development of satellite systems aimed at solving two of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space infrastructure and increasing mobility on-orbit. As a member of a hardworking team of engineers and specialists, you will be responsible for the design, manufacturing, and testing of Blue Ring—a spacecraft capable of supporting a variety of missions from medium Earth orbit to the cislunar region. The Blue Ring spacecraft provides unprecedented delta-V capabilities, enabling customers to maneuver payloads of more than 3,000 kg to a variety of Earth orbits. Additionally, Blue Ring offers end-to-end services, including hosting, transportation, refueling, data relay, logistics, and “in-space” edge computing capabilities.

What You'll Do

People Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain a team of manufacturing engineers across varying levels of experience and seniority
• Set clear performance expectations, provide ongoing coaching and feedback, and conduct formal performance reviews
• Foster a psychologically safe, inclusive, and high-accountability team culture aligned with Blue Origin's core values
• Identify skills gaps within the team and develop targeted training and development plans to close them
• Manage headcount planning, capacity forecasting, and staffing decisions in partnership with program and operations leadership

Strategic Manufacturing Direction

• Define and own the manufacturing engineering strategy for your product area, aligning with broader program goals and company objectives
• Lead the identification, development, and deployment of advanced rocket manufacturing processes that improve quality, reduce cost, and optimize build sequences and schedules
• Champion Design for Manufacturability (DFMA) and Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) across your team, ensuring a robust feedback loop between design, build, and test
• Establish and maintain a roadmap for manufacturing process maturation from development through production
• Drive make-versus-buy analysis and provide manufacturing engineering inputs to program and supply chain decisions

Operational Execution & Oversight

• Hold accountability for cost, quality, build sequence, and schedule performance of hardware across the full manufacturing lifecycle
• Oversee the development and continuous improvement of manufacturing work instructions covering receiving inspection, fabrication, assembly, test, integration, and refurbishment
• Ensure engineering drawing reviews are completed rigorously and that final manufacturing approvals are granted with appropriate technical oversight
• Lead and govern process control measures, driving evaluation and improvement through statistical analysis
• Oversee the design, procurement, installation, and commissioning of custom manufacturing equipment
• Direct proper material handling and packaging standards to protect hardware throughout build and test operations

Quality, Risk & Continuous Improvement

• Champion a structured, organization-wide Root Cause Analysis (RCA) program, establishing consistent methodology, cadence, and accountability across all hardware areas and production teams
• Lead and facilitate RCA investigations for high-priority non-conformances, production escapes, and systemic quality issues — ensuring findings are thorough, well-documented, and translated into lasting corrective and preventive actions
• Own and drive a continuous improvement (CI) program across the manufacturing engineering team, leveraging Lean, Six Sigma, and data-driven methodologies to systematically eliminate waste, reduce variation, and improve process capability
• Establish CI project pipelines with defined scope, owners, metrics, and completion milestones; track and communicate progress to leadership on a regular cadence
• Identify and prioritize improvement opportunities through KPI trend analysis, PFMEA reviews, process audits, and direct floor observation
• Lead schedule recovery planning and execution when hardware programs fall behind due to non-conformances, process failures, equipment issues, or supplier delays
  • Develop and implement recovery plans that define critical path actions, resource reallocation, and accelerated build sequences
  • Partner with program management and operations leadership to communicate recovery status, risks, and mitigation strategies in a clear and timely manner
  • Drive accountability across engineering, quality, and production teams to ensure recovery milestones are met
• Develop and own hardware recovery pathways for non-conforming parts and assemblies, including:
  • Establishing structured disposition workflows (use-as-is, rework, repair, scrap) with clear technical and quality approval gates
  • Creating and maintaining a library of pre-approved repair and rework procedures to enable rapid, repeatable response to common non-conformance types
  • Partnering with design engineering to develop fit-for-purpose engineering dispositions that restore non-conforming hardware to an acceptable and documented flight or test configuration
  • Ensuring all hardware recovery activities maintain full traceability and configuration pedigree throughout the disposition process
  • Analyzing non-conformance trends to identify systemic root causes and proactively eliminate recurring hardware escapes before they impact schedule or mission

Cross-Functional & Supplier Engagement

• Serve as the primary manufacturing engineering point of contact for engineering design teams, program management, quality, and operations leadership
• Partner with supply chain and procurement to interface with external suppliers and manufacturing partners, ensuring hardware and equipment is manufactured, processed, packaged, and delivered to specification, on time, and within budget
• Represent manufacturing engineering in design reviews, program reviews, and gate reviews
• Provide hardware configuration oversight and ensure pedigree is maintained throughout the entire build and test process

Minimum Qualifications

• Genuine passion for Blue Origin's mission: Millions of people living and working in space
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field from an accredited university
• 8+ years of progressive manufacturing and manufacturing engineering experience following graduation
• 2+ years of direct people management or formal technical leadership experience, including performance management and career development responsibilities
• Demonstrated track record of successfully developing and implementing new manufacturing processes from concept through production
• Broad hands-on experience with hardware manufacturing processes, including fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, inspection, and testing
• Demonstrated experience leading RCA investigations and deploying corrective actions that resulted in measurable, sustained quality improvements
• Proven experience developing and executing schedule recovery plans in a hardware development or production environment
• Experience developing non-conforming hardware disposition pathways, including rework, repair, and engineering disposition processes
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities across cost, quality, and schedule in a fast-paced hardware development environment
• Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to earn trust, build positive professional relationships, and actively contribute to a culture of inclusion
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Science in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
• Experience in rocket engine, propulsion system, or aerospace vehicle hardware manufacturing
• Background leading manufacturing engineering teams in a development-to-production transition environment
• Familiarity with AS9100 quality management systems or equivalent aerospace quality frameworks
• Experience with ERP/MES platforms such as SAP, Solumina, or equivalent
• Proficiency in statistical process control (SPC), Lean Manufacturing, or Six Sigma methodologies (Green Belt or Black Belt certification a plus)
• Formal training or certification in structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D, DMAIC, or Shainin
• Experience managing supplier relationships and performing supplier development activities
• Prior exposure to NPI (New Product Introduction) processes and manufacturing readiness level (MRL) assessments