Engines Project Engineer II, Combustion Devices IPT

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!  

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.

As part of a hardworking team of diverse engineers, you will work at the intersection of program management, engineering, supply chain, test, manufacturing, and quality organizations, supporting team effectiveness and coordination. Assignments can range from supporting procurement activities, to coordinating component development & testing, and supporting engine subsystem integration activities. In early project phases, with the oversight of your Integrated Project Team Lead (IPTL), you may support the definition and tracking of project schedule to achieve overall program goals and component requirements. In later phases, you will help coordinate internal and external stakeholders, oversee changes, and help track the resolution to 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 Engines Design Office, you will support a passionate team of contributors and experts serving a Combustion Devices IPT. In this role, and in partnership with Blue Engines’ design engineers and manufacturing engineers, you will support and track activities tied to the development and manufacturing of engine combustion device components. Potential hardware could include exciters, igniters, injectors, heat exchangers, combustion chambers, nozzles and pre-burners used in high pressure and cryogenic applications. With guidance from your IPTL, you will contribute to tracking design, manufacturing, 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. In addition, you may interface with vendors or small teams to set requirements and track supplier developments for procuring hardware, tooling and assemblies, including coordinating with vendors and Blue through technical issues. As a Project Engineer, 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 some direction and coordinate teams in the 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.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Maintain and track project schedule to deliver combustion devices components and sub-assemblies in support of development, qualification and flight hardware, and test

• Prioritize, track, and report progress in support of assembly and acceptance testing, e.g., engineering release, work orders, production control and work center activities

• Create and manage a line of balance for hardware and key equipment/tooling to support upcoming builds and tests

• Manage and maintain a hardware usage log; active tracking of location, usage history, maintenance/rework history, and life of integration hardware

• With the help of the IPTL, partner with manufacturing engineering to contribute to development of detailed procedures and help establish a roadmap to rate production

• Coordinate the assessment of programmatic impact given engineering change requests

• Coordinate and track engineering changes with upstream and downstream stakeholders

• Coordinate with procurement, internal and external stakeholders to ensure that hardware/tooling priorities are understood and are actively managed to support need dates

• Identify and support risk mitigation, including removal of blockers with the help of the IPTL

• Oversee/track recovery strategies when non-conformances or other escapes are identified

• Inform IPTL of any schedule-critical hardware, equipment, people, and facilities

• Track and report out on key project metrics

Minimum Qualifications:

• Passion for Blue Origin’s mission: Millions of people living and working in space!

• B.S. Degree in Engineering

• 2+ 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

• Possess high attention to detail and strong organizational/coordination skills

• Strong aptitude for troubleshooting and quick thinking to keep the project moving forward

• General understanding of configuration management principles and practices

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Demonstrated ability to build trusting and effective working relationships that improve team performance and deliver results

• Demonstrated 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

• Exposure to or experience with Rocket Engine Combustion design, test, and manufacturing

• Experience with complex component development & manufacturing

• Experience in serving as a Project Engineer/Project Manager or leading a small technical team

• Experience with creating tools to improve documentation, visibility, and tracking of scope of work and forecasted work

• Experience with Primavera P6 or other GANTT-style project management tools

• Experience in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA)

Special Mentions

• Selected candidate must be based onsite in Kent, WA

• Able to travel domestically up to 15% of the year

Compensation Range for:

WA applicants is $96,480.00-$135,072.00

Other site ranges may differ

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 EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com.

California Applicant Privacy Notice

If you are a California resident, please reference the CA Applicant Privacy Notice here.