Senior Manager – Mechanical Engineering

Application close date:

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!  

This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin’s Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

As part of a hardworking team of engineers and technical specialists, you will directly impact the history of space exploration and demonstrate your commitment to safe, reliable, and repeatable spaceflight. Join us in lowering the cost of access to space and advancing Blue Origin’s vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth.

This opportunity reports to the Director of the Core Avionics group within the Lunar Permanence business unit. This Senior Manager position leads a team of mechanical engineers and analysts responsible for the design, analysis, testing, and critical review of avionics enclosures and assemblies that house printed circuit board assemblies and other electronic components.

This senior-level role provides leadership, technical expertise, and training for the mechanical team. Responsibilities include coordinating project assignments with team leads and project managers, reconciling project needs with staff resources and capabilities, and owning the technical quality of the team’s work. This includes responsibility for the standards, processes, and tools used in complex avionics enclosure design and analysis, as well as oversight of component cost, mass, and delivery schedule.

Management responsibilities include fostering employee training, growth, and career development; managing underperformance; providing status updates to upper management; and proposing, implementing, and overseeing the team’s annual budget, expenditures, and headcount. While this is a management role, it also requires—and provides the opportunity for—significant technical input, guidance, review, oversight, and future roadmap planning to support technology advancement and cost reduction.

As a member of the Human Landing System (HLS) Sustaining Lunar Development (SLD) program team, your work will play a key role in developing lunar transportation systems that will return humans to the Moon and help extend human presence beyond the bounds of Earth.

Passion for our mission and vision is required. If you are excited by delivering both near-term and long-term value, solving novel problems, learning new topics, and completing challenging projects, please apply!

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Supply people, processes, and tools needed to meet the demand signals specified by project and program managers
• Negotiate Statements of Work with the respective product managers
• Supply staffing to projects, reconciling project needs with staff capabilities and negotiating time commitments
• When demand signal exceeds group capabilities or capacity, work with the Director to recruit and hire additional staff or secure contract labor as needed
• Manage direct reports’ professional development (e.g., goals, skills, performance reviews, compensation and promotion management, one-on-one development conversations) and coach them on maximizing performance
• Ensure staff are properly trained, including participation in the Blue Origin safety culture
• Obtain relevant performance feedback for employees for each evaluation period
• Facilitate development opportunities for team members to align with product needs, advance the capabilities of the team’s community of practice, and increase employee satisfaction
• Equip the team with relevant engineering tools and training in proper usage
• Set and prioritize team goals in alignment with group and business unit goals
• Promote the usage of key technical resources (e.g., standards, journals, references)
• Develop, maintain, and implement a plan for acquiring software, models, and analysis tools needed, and processes for capturing staff best practices
• Coordinate and integrate with similar functional teams and expertise across the company
• Build relationships with external stakeholders in the domain area for benchmarking, recruiting pipeline, and collaboration purposes
• Perform technical work where needed and provide technical leadership
• Exemplify high standards of conduct for team members
• Facilitate solutions to issues encountered by team members
• Grow technical acumen and depth in relevant fields of expertise
• Embody, promote, and coach the Blue Origin leadership principles and business unit culture

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.S. degree in Mechanical or Aerospace engineering or equivalent.
• 10+ years of demonstrated experience managing technical teams and/or leading functional groups, with responsibility for technical quality of work delivered and career management of employees 
• 4+ years of experience with static structural, modal, random vibration, and thermal analysis
• Experience designing ruggedized electronics enclosures or similar high-performance hardware
• History of developing innovative solutions with partially defined requirements and changing criteria 
• History of managing schedules, budgets, and headcount
• Experience working with customers, component suppliers, fabricators, and distributors 
• Ability to be self-directed and balance multiple projects at one time
• History of communicating status, design concepts, and technical results effectively
• History of demonstrating autonomous leadership
• Technical or management abilities have been recognized by the larger organization
• Familiarity with static structural, modal, random vibration, and thermal analysis
• Familiarity with 3D CAD modeling programs (Creo preferred)
• Familiarity with FEA tools (Ansys preferred)
• Familiarity with GD&T usage (ASME Y14.5)
• Familiarity with environmental testing including vibration, shock, thermal cycle
• Experience performing failure analysis and establishing root cause / corrective action
• Flexibility and openness to tackling varied assignments and learning new skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with recent versions of Creo, Windchill, ANSYS, ICEPAK, and Sherlock 
• Experience with fatigue analysis and fracture mechanics 
• Experience with aerospace industry standard analysis methods (Bruhn, Marks’, Shigley, Steinberg, Engelmeier) 
• Experience with environmental testing similar to SMC-S-016, DO-160, and/or MIL-STD-810 (random vibration, shock, thermal cycle, TVAC, EMI/RFI, etc.) 
• Experience with circuit card design per IPC-A-610 and/or J standards 
• Experience with GD&T implementation and analysis (ASME Y14.5) 

 

Compensation Range for:

WA applicants is $183,807.00 - $257,328.75

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check

• Required for Certain Job Profiles:  Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation

• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing (CDL drivers only), vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.

• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Benefits

• Benefits include:  Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.

• Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)

• Paid Time Off:  Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

• Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.