BE-4 TCA Project Engineer

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 diverse team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! 

We are a diverse team of collaborators, doers, and problem- solvers who are relentlessly committed to a culture of safety. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable space flight. Join us in lowering the cost of access to space and enabling Blue Origin’s vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth.  

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!

This role is part of the Blue Origin Engines business unit, where our focus is the design, development, manufacturing, and testing of engines and propulsion systems. Built for multiple uses, our family of engines is powering the next generation of rockets for commercial, civil, national security, and human spaceflight.

This role is part of the Blue Origin BE-4 Thrust Chamber Assembly where our focus is the design, development, procurement, manufacturing, delivery and testing of engines and propulsion systems. Built for multiple uses serving our United Launch Alliance and New Glenn customers.  Our family of engines is powering the next generation of rockets for commercial, civil, national security and human spaceflight.

As part of a hardworking team of diverse engineers, you will work at the intersection of program management, engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and quality organizations, improving team effectiveness and coordination, and ensuring that the right people are working together to solve problems and deliver results on time. Assignments can range from supporting engine subsystem integration activities to component development and testing coordination. In early project phases, you may define project scope and schedule to achieve overall program goals and component requirements.  In later phases, you will coordinate internal and external stakeholders, manage changes, and resolve unexpected problems in support of engine or subsystem builds, subsequent integration into test facilities and launch vehicles, and test activities.

As a Project Engineer within the BE-4 Program, you will lead a passionate team of contributors and experts supporting the BE-4 Thrust Chamber Assembly. In this role, you will partner with our design engineers,  manufacturing engineers and ancillary disciplines in developing, procuring and manufacturing Thrust Chambers and respective components. You will contribute to driving design, manufacturing, continuous improvement, development, supply chain, test and production of combustion devices and assemblies, and help define and refine best practices to increase the efficiency of our project execution and manufacturing approaches and processes. You may work or interface with vendors or small teams to define requirements and manage supplier developments for procuring hardware and assemblies, including working with vendors through technical issues. As the primary point of contact, you must enjoy solving communication and organizational problems, earning trust, and improving the overall performance of all teams involved. We are seeking a self-motivated and highly organized individual who can work with minimal direction and coordinate teams in the successful execution of engineering integration activities. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your dedicated commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable spaceflight.

Special Mentions:

• Relocation Provided
• Multiple positions ope
• Shifts available:
  A-Shift Monday - Friday 0600-1430
  B-Shift Monday - Friday 1430-2300
  C-Shift Friday - Monday 0600-1600  

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Develop and/or maintain project plans to deliver Thrust Chamber Assembly components in support of development, qualification and flight hardware and test
• Develop schedule and budget; manage and report progress
• Manage, prioritize, and report progress of engineering release, work orders, production control and work center activities
• Create and manage line of balance for hardware and tooling
• Partner with cross-functional team to develop detailed procedures and establish product roadmaps
• Assess programmatic impact of engineering change requests
• Coordinate with procurement, internal and external stakeholders to ensure that hardware/tooling priorities are well understood and are actively managed to support need dates
• Manage external vendors and lead technical discussions
• Coordinate and drive engineering changes with upstream and downstream stakeholders
• Respond to unexpected changes to ensure design/manufacturing/build activities stay on schedule, on budget, and are completed with high-quality
• Identify and mitigate risks, including removal of blockers or investigation and escalation of issues
• Develop recovery strategies when non-conformances or other escapes are identified
• Identify schedule-critical hardware, equipment, people, and facilities; resolve constraints
• Develop and report key project metrics
• Lead build pedigree reviews post builds, ensuring hardware matches design and configuration intent and all open work is properly identified

Minimum Qualifications:

• Passion for Blue Origin’s mission: Millions of people living and working in space!
• B.S. Degree in Engineering
• 5+ years of experience in the aerospace industry (space or aviation), including combustion devices component fabrication, precision assembly, and/or testing using a variety of methods, techniques, and materials
• Experience in serving as a Project Engineer or Project Manager
• Possess high attention to detail and strong organizational/coordination skills
• Strong aptitude for troubleshooting and quick thinking to keep the project moving forward
• Demonstrated ability to build trusting and effective working relationships that improve team performance and deliver results
• Working knowledge of configuration management principles and practices
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• 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:

• M.S. Degree in Engineering
• Experience with complex component development & manufacturing
• Experience with Rocket Engine Combustion design, test, and manufacturing
• Experience implementing, customizing or improving configuration management systems in a development engineering environment
• Experience with creating tools to improve documentation, visibility, and tracking of scope of work and forecasted work
• Experience leading a small technical team
• Experience with Primavera P6 or other GANTT-style project management tools
• Experience in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA)

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

Inclusivity 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 a diverse, inclusive, and 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.

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.

Discretionary bonus: Bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.

Eligibility for benefits varies by role type, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role.

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, diverse, 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, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. 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, gender, 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 “EEO Is the Law,” 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].

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