Lab Manager - New Glenn Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL)

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 dynamic 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 dynamic and hardworking team, you will lead a group of technicians and specialists to build, integrate, test, operate, and maintain the New Glenn Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) labs.

In this role, you will be responsible for recruiting and retaining skilled technical personnel, delivering semi-annual performance reviews, and providing substantive coaching and mentoring that enables genuine career development for each team member. A critical element of this role is deep personal technical competency. The NG HIL labs integrate complex electrical, avionics, and software systems. The lab manager must be able to understand the team's work, independently assess proposed approaches, recognize technical challenges, and engage hands-on to help resolve issues.

• Coordinate with internal customers to plan, schedule, allocate resources, and execute integrated testing operations in the HIL.
• Develop training requirements and ensure that personnel are properly trained for HIL operations.
• Oversee procurement of lab material, tools and test equipment, coordinate facilities upgrades and maintenance, and ensure calibrated equipment is maintained in an active calibrated state.
• Drive a culture of Safety in the lab, ensuring that personnel and visitors are properly trained and have the appropriate tools and equipment to operate safely.
• Fully understand, scope, assign, and track technical work to ensure every team member has a full, prioritized workload, and that project milestones are delivered on time.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (or a closely related discipline) with 5+ years of hands-on experience in the operation, maintenance, or test of complex electrical, avionics, or electromechanical systems; OR 5+ years of direct hands-on experience as an electrical technician working on complex systems, with demonstrated ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, perform component-level troubleshooting, and diagnose system-level failures.
• 3+ years of people management experience of a team of 5 or more direct reports with responsibility for the full employee lifecycle, including hiring, onboarding, daily management, career development, performance management, and terminations. (Note: Lead, team lead, and supervisor roles without this formal authority do not satisfy this requirement.)
• Demonstrated ability to personally perform troubleshooting and causal analysis on electrical and systems-level faults and help drive corrective action back into engineering products.
• Proven ability to build, motivate, and retain a high-performing team of technicians, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented culture.
• A proven ability to foster a culture of safety, open communication, accountability, and continuous improvement within a technical or laboratory setting.
• Familiarity with industry safety programs (e.g., Lock Out/Tag Out) and harness/wiring standards (IPC/WHMA-A-620, IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, or equivalent).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, communicate clearly across organizational boundaries, and represent the team to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proficiency in MS Office (particularly Excel).
• 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.

• Experience in a flight hardware, aerospace test, or safety-critical laboratory environment.
• Hands-on experience with avionics, GNC, propulsion, or integrated vehicle systems.
• Familiarity with Atlassian/Jira, Tableau, or Primavera P6 for task planning and tracking.
• Familiarity with PTC Creo and Windchill for drawing release.
• Experience with work order management systems or labor tracking tools.
• Demonstrated experience with or a strong interest in leveraging AI tools and automation to enhance team productivity and streamline lab operations.

Base Pay 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.