Avionics Mechanical Launch Vehicle Engineer 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 the New Shepard program. New Shepard is a reusable suborbital rocket system designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Kármán line – the internationally recognized boundary of space. Through operational reusability, New Shepard supports our mission of lowering the cost of access to space.

As an Avionics Mechanical Launch Vehicle Engineer, you will support the refurbishment cycles of the fielded flight vehicles by creating and implementing design changes, identifying and dispositioning non-conformances, supporting preflight integrated vehicle testing, and leading all aspects of preventative vehicle maintenance in the Avionics Hardware lifecycle. You will be in charge of the sustaining mechanical design & analysis of all avionics components on our fielded vehicles. You will support the vehicle managers in performing risk assessment before rollout of the vehicles for launch. You will also support flight operations through ops product development and as Engineering Back Room support in mission control. Following a New Shepard mission, you immediately begin getting the vehicles ready for launch again, reviewing inspection results and working with members of the maintenance team to implement repairs and upgrades to get the vehicle ready for another safe flight by diagnosing discrepancies and identify corrective actions.  You will perform post-flight data reviews and tracking of all resulting anomalies. You will also engage in electrical design efforts as needed on our fielded avionics.

This role will coordinate with engineers and managers in Kent, WA as you work closely with engineers and technicians at Launch Site One in Van Horn, TX. These efforts will be met with challenges to increase launch cadence and reduce cost, while maintaining high engineering and safety standards.  You will be getting hands-on with a reusable rocket!

In order to accomplish the task of enabling safe and repeatable space flight, you will have to learn and understand the vehicle systems as well as the requirements that govern our standards and practices. You will collaborate across team interfaces to understand and overcome logistics, supply chain, and resource challenges to deliver mission-ready vehicles. You will implement that knowledge to write safe and executable work instructions and revise procedures to enable more efficiencies and expand capabilities.  Every day, our team draws upon a wide breadth of engineering skills, along with a team of highly experienced technicians to improve our processes and the refurbishment workflow.

This is a job that requires you to be a hands-on, highly collaborative and energetic individual who always welcomes a challenge. You are motivated to do or learn whatever is required to get the job done while maintaining the high standards required for safe human spaceflight. 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!

Interviews will include a technical assessment

Special Mentions:

• Location Options: Kent, WA or Van Horn, TX
• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 25% of time if based in Kent, WA
• Travel expected up to 10% of time if based in Van Horn, TX

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent education
• 5+ years of experience with mechanical design, modeling, and analysis, supporting avionics hardware and systems.
• Experienced in design and lifecycle management of avionics electronics packaging and grounding/bonding concerns.
• Experienced in design and maintenance of avionics harnessing systems and components
• Familiarity with data reduction and analysis. 
• Experienced in thermal and structural analysis of avionics systems and their interfaces, using a Finite Element Analysis tool (Ansys desired)
• Experienced in reading and interpreting electrical schematics, drawings, and CAD models and applying their specific intent.
• Practiced technical communication ability, including written, visual, and verbal, to wide audiences of varying backgrounds.
• Strong planning, organization, and coordination skills in a real-time operations environmen