Mechanical Test Engineer III - New Glenn

Application close date:

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 position reports to New Glenn’s Second Stage, Payload Accommodations team. As part of a hardworking team of specialists, technicians, and engineers, you will be performing tasks across the spectrum of design, test and evaluation for structures and mechanical systems. This will require participation in test requirement development, test design, ground support equipment design, special test equipment design, instrumentation, data acquisition, and test control.

Your testing of these systems under terrestrial gravity and atmosphere will require innovative thinking and creative execution in design. You will work closely with sub-system designers to create the test requirements which support the verification requirements and requisite model validation data. You will take the tests and guide them from initial test architecture through execution and provide intended data products for design verification. Products for these tests require your skills in writing test plans and reports, creating drawings and 3D models, planning resources, scheduling, coordinating supply and logistics, analysis for loads and environments, instrumentation design, data collection, and presenting plans and processes for review. You will also be responsible for hardware assembly and conducting test operations. You will have support from subject matter experts during the test design and are not required to be the expert in all fields of the tests.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

• Develop and author Test Plans, Test Procedures, and Test Results.
• Consult with design engineers or subject matter experts to determine test requirements.
• Conduct hands-on explosive, shock, vibration, thermal, humidity and vacuum testing on flight hardware in accordance with AIAA-S113A, MIL-STD-810, SMC-S-016 and MIL-STD-1540.
• Lead the conduct of Test Design Reviews, Integration Readiness Reviews, and Test Readiness reviews.
• Design and develop Special Test Equipment (STE) and integrate Ground Support Equipment (GSE) to simulate and stimulate Articles Under Test (AUTs) or capture AUT output and interface performance.
• Operate test consoles and work with a team of engineers & technicians to execute component level testing.
• Ensure all operations are performed safely, on time and in a professional manner.
• Work with test, flight and safety critical hardware, tools, and shop equipment.
• Maintain cleanliness of test equipment and testing area.
• Conduct and/or oversee several test projects simultaneously while supporting operation schedules.
• Configure test setups, fixtures and instrumentation per test plans and standards.
• Identify, communicate, and mitigate cost, schedule, and technical risks.
• Participate in development and gated design reviews of system under test to implement testability, instrumentation, and operability features during the design phase to facilitate verification.
• Coordinate with suppliers on acquisition of requisite GSE and STE while leveraging standard commercial devices to the maximum extent possible.
• Have frequent inter-organizational and customer interactions on difficult technical issues.
• Work independently to determine and develop approaches to solutions.
• Contribute to the mentoring & training of other personnel.

• 5+ years of applicable experience with the following: hands-on assembly and test of aerospace hardware or systems, ordnance testing, and test campaign planning.
• 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.
• Ability to utilize test instrumentation and control components: pressure transducers, thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, accelerometers, flow meters, load cells, relays, solenoid valves, etc.
• Experience working directly with high energy systems (ordnance, 6k psi pressure, High voltage, and cryogenics).
• Direct experience developing test infrastructure, integrating test articles, performing tests with emphasis on Mechanical, Structural, and Fluid systems.
• General knowledge of test design, test planning process, instrumentation, structures, fluids, and mechanisms.
• B.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, or Physics or related technical subject area.
• Experience providing imaginative and detailed technical solutions to a wide range of problems such as Test Fixtures, lifting and off-loading test articles for interface and separation tests, and preloading test articles to emulate test load environment.
• Excellent verbal, written, and graphical communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast paced, dynamic work environment.
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.

• Washington state licensed blaster.
• Experience with NI Labview / TestStand, Matlab, MATLAB/Simulink, Confluence, JIRA.
• Experience with design tools such as Creo, Windchill, or CATIA V5 or equivalent software.

Compensation Range for:

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 an 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.