Senior Mechanical Engineer - Pressurized Structures
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! This role supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable. As part of a passionate and accomplished team of experts, you will lead the design, development, and qualification of high-performance Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs) for the New Glenn orbital launch vehicle. In this senior role, you will have a significant impact on all aspects of the design, analysis, manufacturing, and testing of flight-critical hardware. Our team is at the forefront of developing the key technologies that will enable Blue Origin's vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your dedicated commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable spaceflight.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related engineering field.
- Minimum of 8 years of experience in the design, analysis, and testing of primary structures and pressurized systems.
- Proven expertise using 3D CAD software (Siemens NX/Teamcenter preferred) to design complex assemblies.
- Mastery of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) principles per ASME Y14.5.
- Extensive experience performing advanced structural analysis using FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, or Nastran).
- Demonstrated, in-depth experience in the full lifecycle of pressure vessels, composite structures, or similar hardware for the aerospace industry.
Nice To Haves
- Master of Science or PhD in a relevant engineering field.
- 10+ years of experience with direct, hands-on design of Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs).
- Expert-level knowledge of composite materials, filament winding processes, and laminate theory.
- Proven experience managing technical development with external suppliers.
- Deep familiarity with industry standards for pressure vessel design and certification (e.g., ASME BPVC Section VIII, AIAA S-080/081).
- Experience leading system-level trade studies and presenting recommendations to leadership.
- Experience with cryogenic systems and material compatibility.
- Proficiency with programming languages (such as Python or MATLAB) for automating complex analysis and data reduction.
- A proven track record of technical leadership and mentorship in a fast-paced R&D or production environment.
Responsibilities
- Own and lead the end-to-end design, development, and qualification of COPVs and other pressurized structures, from architectural trade studies through flight and reuse for both internal designs and supplier provided hardware.
- Define technical roadmaps, establish requirements, and drive the design of vessel assemblies and components using Windchill and Creo.
- Serve as a technical authority for structural analysis, performing and guiding complex Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to substantiate designs for all operational and test environments.
- Develop and oversee system-level and component-level test campaigns for qualification, acceptance, and proto-flight hardware.
- Establish and mature critical manufacturing processes with internal teams and external suppliers, providing expert guidance on filament winding, curing, and precision assembly.
- Author, review, and approve key technical documents, including component specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), analysis reports, and test procedures.
- Provide senior-level technical disposition for non-conformances and lead root-cause analysis and corrective action initiatives.
- Serve as a primary technical presenter at major program milestones and design reviews with internal leadership and external customers.
- Actively mentor and develop junior engineers on the team, fostering technical excellence and upholding best practices.
Benefits
- 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.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
