Principal Human Factors Engineer - Lunar

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! 

As the principal human factors authority on Blue Origin's Lunar program, you will serve as the primary technical lead for all human factors engineering activities supporting the development of crewed lunar vehicles. You will drive the human integration of complex systems, from crew interfaces to surface access architectures, ensuring that safety, operability, and the crew experience are at the center of every design decision. Partnering closely with NASA's Astronaut Office and Blue's systems engineering, design, and operations teams, you will shape requirements, lead human-in-the-loop evaluations, and own the verification strategies that will carry our Lunar systems through certification. This position carries broad technical authority and direct influence over program architecture: your work will shape the safety and success of human Lunar exploration. Passion for our mission and an unwavering commitment to crew safety and mission success are essential.

• Serve as the Human Factors Engineering lead for the Lunar program, owning the full scope of HF activities from requirements development through verification
• Write, evaluate, and challenge human factors requirements; drive simplification and ensure requirements reflect true crew safety and operability needs
• Develop and own HF verification strategy, including mapping requirements to verification expectations and verification events, and authoring verification event content
• Conduct and mature task analyses (TA) and human error analyses (HEA) for crew interfaces and operations, in collaboration with NASA counterparts
• Lead human-in-the-loop (HITL) test campaigns across different environments (e.g., NBL, ARGOS, JSC facilities), from planning and execution through translation of results into actionable design direction
• Perform anthropometric analyses and ergonomic evaluations to support design decisions and requirements compliance
• Partner with systems engineering and design teams to influence system architecture decisions based on crew operability findings and HF analyses
• Interface with NASA's Astronaut Office, including leading or co-chairing joint test panels and other formal collaboration forums
• Mentor engineers across the team and model a standard of technical excellence, clear communication, and inclusive collaboration
• Contribute to enterprise-level HF frameworks, standards, and knowledge resources applicable across Blue Origin programs and business units

• Passion for our mission: working towards millions of people living and working in space!
• Minimum of a B.S. in Engineering or a related technical discipline
• 10+ years of industry experience in human factors engineering or human-centered system design
• Expertise in task analysis and human error analysis methodologies and execution
• Expertise in anthropometric analysis
• Demonstrated experience leading human-in-the-loop test programs in safety-critical environments
• Strong systems engineering background, including hands-on experience with requirements development and verification planning
• Proven ability to influence system architecture and design decisions through human factors analysis and technical advocacy
• Experience working directly with NASA or other human spaceflight customers or operational stakeholders
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex HF findings into concise, actionable engineering direction
• 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.

• 15+ years of industry experience in HF or human-centered system design
• Experience in human spaceflight vehicle design and/or certification
• Familiarity with NASA human systems integration standards (e.g., NASA-STD-3001) and certification processes
• Operational experience in a technology-intensive, safety-critical environment (e.g., aviation, spaceflight, defense)
• Experience developing program-adopted standards, methodologies, or knowledge resources
• Master's or Ph.D. in Human Factors, Aerospace Engineering, Cognitive Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline

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.