Manufacturing Engineer III – Mechanical Systems

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! 

Blue Origin is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Engineer III to support the design, development, and optimization of manufacturing processes, production tooling, and fixtures for complex machined and mechanical components. You will work at the intersection of design engineering and production operations, driving quality, cost efficiency, and schedule performance in support of high-volume production for TeraWave motion control products.

• Review engineering drawings and 3D models and provide comprehensive DFM feedback to design engineering teams, identifying features or tolerances that drive unnecessary cost or cycle time
• Provide make/buy recommendations based on internal capability assessments, cost analysis, and strategic program needs
• Recommend cost reduction opportunities through material substitution, process optimization, feature simplification, or alternate manufacturing methods
• Participate in design reviews (PDR, CDR, production readiness reviews) representing the manufacturing engineering perspective

• Review engineering drawings for GD&T compliance per ASME Y14.5, ensuring tolerances are inspectable and appropriate for the manufacturing process
• Identify drawing errors, ambiguities, or conflicts and initiate formal drawing change requests in collaboration with design engineering
• Advise design teams on tolerance stackup implications and functional dimensioning strategies

• Lead the design and development of production fixtures, assembly aids, inspection fixtures, and work-holding solutions to support machining, fabrication, and assembly operations
• Define fixture requirements based on part geometry, process requirements, and production rate needs; generate fixture design packages including drawings, BOMs, and acceptance criteria
• Maintain existing tooling and fixture inventory, establishing calibration and maintenance schedules as applicable

• Develop and maintain manufacturing process plans, work instructions, and traveler sequences for machined and mechanical assemblies
• Apply Lean manufacturing principles to drive cycle time reduction, scrap reduction, and process standardization
• Collaborate cross-functionally with quality, operations, and design teams to resolve production issues, eliminate bottlenecks, and support on-time delivery

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering in an aerospace, defense, or high-precision manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated experience providing formal DFM feedback on machined component drawings
• Proficiency in GD&T per ASME Y14.5; ability to independently interpret and critique complex geometric tolerancing schemes
• Hands-on experience designing production fixtures and work-holding solutions; proficiency with 3D CAD tools (CREO/Pro-E, SolidWorks, or equivalent)
• Familiarity with common manufacturing processes including CNC machining, turning, milling, EDM, and surface finishing
• Strong analytical and communication skills; ability to present technical findings to cross-functional audiences
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum (as required by export control regulations)

• Demonstrated experience with the full lifecycle of fixture design, validation, and production implementation for aerospace mechanism component manufacturing, including machining fixtures, assembly aids, and inspection tooling
• Experience in fixture design for high-volume automated production lines, including integration with robotic systems and automated assembly equipment
• Familiarity with aerospace quality management systems such as AS9100 and NADCAP
• Experience with ERP/MES systems for traveler and nonconformance management, including IFS, SAP, Oracle, Deltek Costpoint, Solumina (iBASEt), Apriso, or equivalent platforms
• Knowledge of tolerance stackup analysis methods (1D/2D/3D)
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
• Familiarity with model-based definition (MBD) and ASME Y14.41 standards

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.