Configuration Design Engineer III - Lunar Permanence

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! 

We are a 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.

As part of a hardworking team of systems engineers and designers, you will lead spacecraft configuration control for various spaceflight systems. You will share in the team’s impact on all aspects of developing the next generation of crewed lunar lander architectures. In this role, you will be accountable for providing design-directive definition of an integrated system configuration where we aim to work closely with associated disciplines to control the design of an end-item product. Your engagement will span all program phases, from conceptual design, through development, production, deployment, and post-flight. You will contribute to the overall physical integration and packaging of the configuration including but not limited to structures and mechanisms, avionics and power, fluids and propulsion, thermal, crew systems, and ground support equipment. Through a deep understanding of design requirements and concept of operations, you will specialize in the art and science of innovating a physical manifestation utilizing critical and analytical thinking along with a sense of spatial reasoning.

As an integrated team member, you will lead inter-module prioritization of key configuration trade studies and conflict resolutions related to the optimization of an integrated system. You will continually access and drive the configuration to fit within its technical budgets and meet its assembly, integration, test, production, and operations procedures. You will be responsible for the management of the CAD models, its design principles, product structure, and any documentation artifacts required for gated reviews and milestones.

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!

•  Perform overall physical integration and packaging of configuration subsystems within the integrated product

• Support development of system requirements, flow down, and verification planning

• Develop inter-module priorities and resolve integration issues between lead engineers and their respective teams

• Coordinate the change management process, facilitating design reviews, and ensuring communication between all groups affected by the change  

• Trade cross-functional impact studies to assist in development and programmatic decisions

• Lead regular configuration reviews to address module level interfaces, subsystem functionality, assembly, and operations

• Continually assess configuration for integrated assembly, test, integration, production, and operations and drive design to optimize for manufacturability, quality, and cost

• Management of the Vehicle CAD models, including making sure top-down design principles, maintaining the CAD structure, and exporting CAD models

• Create and manage interface definitions between subsystems with appropriate control documents and models

• Ensure that the configuration supports major design reviews and program milestones  

• Coordinate system modification activities including records and management control for overall product

• Ensure the team adheres and improves the configuration design best practices as well as Blue Origin configuration design standards

• B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering or related subject area 

• Successful candidates in this role typically have 5+ years of related experience

• Proven configuration control experience on recently developed products from early trade studies through final design, manufacturing, and test

• Strong social skills and experience working in a highly integrated cross-functional team environment

• Strong design and integration skills using 3-D CAD software and experience with large assembly management (Creo Pro/E preferred) 

• Experience with component packaging of highly integrated and complex products 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast paced, dynamic work environment 

• Ability to earn trust and maintain positive and professional relationships

• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering or related technical subject area

• Successful candidates typically have 8+ years of experience in aerospace systems development

• Configuration control experience in all flight program phases

• Strong knowledge of GD&T practices with tolerance stack-up analysis 

• Experience with software tools such as DOORS Next Generation, Cameo, MATLAB/Simulink, Confluence, JIRA, Git, Creo, and Windchill

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.