Materials and Processes Technician III

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 Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

We are a mission-driven team of collaborators, doers, and problem-solvers relentlessly committed to a culture of safety. As part of a hardworking team of materials engineers and technicians you will support our laboratory efforts to provide excellent research, development, and quality assurance testing for various spaceflight systems.  You will need to be flexible and eager to learn. You will primarily support our metallography and characterization labs. We seek people who are team players, passionate about space and possess a strong desire to continuously learn and improve.  

While your primary responsibility will be to support the efforts of our metallurgy laboratory, you will have the opportunity to learn about and support optical microscopy, powder analysis, and wet chemistry in a variety of ways – helping with sample preparation, operating instruments, and interacting with a wide variety of colleagues and customers.  You will see this as a career opportunity to gain skills and expertise as a strong laboratory technician or technical specialist. 

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Special Mentions:

• Relocation provided
• Shifts available:
  • First shift
• Interviews will include a technical assessment

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Prepare a variety of different materials (i.e., metal alloys, composites) for analysis and characterization using cut-off, mounting, and polishing equipment.
• Utilize digital, inverted, and stereo microscopes to evaluate material qualities (e.g., microstructural characteristics, defect density, weld features, etc.)
• Operate gas analyzers and particle counters to assess chemical composition, particle size distribution, and quality of metal powders.
• Conduct conductivity measurements on metal alloys.
• Obtain density of materials using the Archimedes method or gas pycnometry.
• Perform a variety of hardness tests (i.e., Rockwell, Vickers, Knoop, etc.) with conversion between scales.
• Analyze results from tests and prepare reports.
• Participate in proficiency testing.
• Follow Laboratory Best Practices and 5S.
• Observe all safety protocols and appropriate chemical hygiene.
• Adhere to maintenance and cleaning schedules to maintain equipment and laboratory space

Minimum Qualifications:

• 4+ years working in a physical testing laboratory or similar environment.
• Basic physical laboratory skills: weights and measures, chemical hygiene, materials safety planning, personal protective equipment, contamination control, job hazard analysis, and work instructions.
• Strong written and personal computer skills.
• Must be able to work with and around chemicals and other hazardous materials.
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and 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:

• AS or BS in Analytical Chemistry Materials Science, Metallurgy and Engineering or a physical science with large laboratory components (e.g., chemistry, physics, geology).
• Experience using a variety of microscopes
• Experience preparing samples, obtaining and analyzing data.
• Knowledge of basic polymer chemistry and material properties.