Senior Manufacturing Engineer

BLUE ORIGIN • Seattle, WA

1d

About The Position

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! The role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which is focused on addressing two of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space infrastructure and increasing mobility on-orbit. As a senior member of the TeraWave propulsion team, you will play a foundational role in the development of the Hall thruster-based propulsion systems that maneuver the TeraWave constellation satellites as well as the propulsion team itself. TeraWave is a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This network will service tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations. As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer, you will lead the development of the propulsion team’s manufacturing facilities and processes for development and production. You will own the design and execute of the team’s vision to develop the propulsion team’s manufacturing infrastructure for efficient development as well as scaling to high-rate production. You will work with cross-functional propulsion team members to lead DFx studies to strengthen the feedback loop between design, build, and test, accelerating product development. Successful candidates will utilize their experience in aerospace manufacturing to make tactical decisions on scalable practices and plan for high-rate production as well as use that experience to lead and mentor junior team members. A preferred candidate will have experience in manufacturing electric propulsion systems and subsystems in both development and production environments including experience with high pressure and low pressure cleanliness-controlled fluid systems, electrical harnessing, as well as familiarity with specialty processes and materials associated with the high temperature, vacuum, and electrical environments of electric propulsion devices. If you share our passion for propulsion system development and manufacturing, thrive in a dynamic startup environment, excel on integrated cross-functional teams, are experienced and skilled in several relevant areas listed below, continuously seek out opportunities to learn and improve, and do not allow title or job description to limit the depth or breadth of your contributions, then we would love to hear from you. Special Considerations: Relocation provided Travel expected up to 25% of the time

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, or related technical subject area.
• 8+ years of career experience in propulsion system manufacturing.
• Experience manufacturing flight hardware in a production facility, or laboratory.
• Experience in hardware manufacturing (e.g. additively manufactured components, welding, machining, cleaning, non-destructive testing methods, tight tolerance assembly, leak testing, final acceptance testing of integrated hardware, and Manufacturing Execution Systems/Software).
• Proven experience and successful track record developing/starting new manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience of technical leadership in root cause investigations, process improvement initiatives, and/or strategic team direction.
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships
• Experience developing working instructions and manufacturing processes from engineering drawings/documentation.
• Ability to read, interpret, and provide DFx feedback on engineering drawings and technical requirements.
• Strong safety demeanor and experience, including hands-on experience planning and conducting hazardous or critical operations.
• Excellent verbal, written, and graphical communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with external stakeholders in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.
• Enthusiasm for mentoring, training, knowledge sharing, and supporting the technical development of team members.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s of Science in Aerospace, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, or related technical subject area.
• General familiarity of electric propulsion system (e.g. ion, Hall-effect) operation and assembly practices.
• Demonstrated experience in the creation and commissioning of development or production manufacturing infrastructure for high pressure assemblies, low pressure flow systems, and/or electric propulsion assemblies.
• Proficiency in orbital tube welding, an automated Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process, for joining high-performance alloys used in propulsion systems (e.g., propellant lines, thruster assemblies).
• Ability to perform statistical process control analyses and documents and present resulting technical information in a clear and compelling visual format.
• Hands-on experience with manufacturing, assembly, and testing pressure fluid systems and components such as transducers, filters, valves, and regulators.
• Electric propulsion production system and/or subsystem manufacturing experience.
• Experience conducting thermal, vibration, shock, and/or vacuum testing on flight hardware in accordance with MIL-STD-810, SMC-S-016, and MIL-STD-1540.
• Experience supporting rapid iterative design, build, and test loop of a propulsion system from concept to production.
• Experience scaling and optimizing manufacturing and test practices for increasing production rates.
• Conducting failure investigations and resolving non-conformances is a high-rate production environment.
• Experience performing limited design (CAD) work to draft assembly fixturing/tools.
• Excellent computer skills with the ability to quickly learn and use various software tools as needed.
• Experience with AS9100 Quality Management System.
• Experience with analytical and scripting tools: MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python, or C++.
• Experience with developing and deploying automated manufacturing processes.
• Experience with requirements development/management tools and lifecycle management (PLM) tools.

Responsibilities

• Design, procure, assemble, and operate propulsion development manufacturing facilities for system and subsystem assemblies.
• Document and leading discussion of build/inspection results, conclusions, and recommended path forward for test and test article development.
• Technical contributions to the growth of the team through assisting in hiring, identifying team skill gaps, and mentoring junior team members.
• Coordinate with equipment suppliers and Blue Origin facilities on delivery of large and long lead manufacturing equipment/stations requiring detailed facility layouts and specialized facility infrastructure.
• Work closely with mechanical design, test, and propulsion engineering teams to translate engineering intent, drawings, and configurations into fully functional hardware.
• Develop manufacturing work instructions to clearly define the following manufacturing process: receiving inspection, fabrication, assembly, integration, test, and refurbishment.
• Lead DFx reviews such as: Design for Manufacturing, Design for Test, and Design for Assembly.
• Develop initial process control measures and evaluation through statistical analysis.
• Defining the propulsion team’s manufacturing standards, processes and workflows for successful and scalable operations.
• Identify, communicate, and mitigate cost, schedule, and technical risks.
• Plan scaling activities for development and production manufacturing capacity to support concurrent high-rate production and sustained, continuous product improvement.

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.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level