Sr Structural Analyst (Design and Integration) - Space Resources

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 invite you to be a part of our Space Resources Program. This initiative is at the forefront of developing In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies, destined for the Moon and beyond. If you're passionate about our mission and are looking to make a meaningful contribution, you might just be the ideal candidate to join our innovative, and forward-thinking team.

In this hands-on role, you will be based entirely on-site at our Los Angeles facility, collaborating closely with the Space Resources Program team. We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced Senior Structural Engineer to own critical structural design decisions, from requirements definition through detailed design, FEA, and test. You will lead the configuration and analysis of flight and prototype structures, drive credible technical calls with incomplete data, and partner with subsystem and thermal leads to rapidly converge on robust, producible solutions. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment and is comfortable balancing technical risk, schedule pressure, and evolving program needs.

• Own structural design and configuration of pressurized and unpressurized structures and critical interfaces.
• Perform detailed design, analysis, development, and testing of structural hardware for both new development and production/sustainment initiatives.
• Plan and execute advanced linear and nonlinear FEA (ANSYS Structural), including thermal–structural coupling, model validation, and margin assessment.
• Develop and evaluate structural concepts; perform trade studies with emphasis on retiring design risk and focus on manufacturability, cost, mass, and schedule.
• Build and maintain 3D CAD models, detail part drawings, assemblies, installations, and interface control documents (ICDs).
• Generate engineering drawings and technical documentation that meet ASME standards and program requirements.
• Define and own test plans, specifications, and other documentation for the development, qualification, and acceptance of flight hardware.
• Participate in and/or lead subsystem test planning, execution, data reduction, and correlation of test results with analysis.
• Work with multi-functional teams (e.g., subsystem leads, thermal, GNC, avionics, manufacturing, supply chain) to select materials, processes, and suppliers and to resolve integration issues.
• Perform access studies, loss-of-clearance analyses, configuration/layout studies, and develop solutions for mission-unique requirements.
• Lead problem resolution for structural issues discovered in analysis, testing, manufacturing, or operations; drive decisions and convergence in compressed decision cycles.
• Maintain and report on schedule, budget, and technical status for your owned hardware and analyses.
• Coach, mentor, and technically assist junior engineers; provide technical leadership and cross-functional coordination.
• Identify and implement improvements to structural design practices, analysis workflows, and operational cost and cycle-time reductions.
• Support the development and modification of equipment, fixtures, and tooling as required to build and test structural hardware.
• Prepare and present clear technical content and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders, including program and executive leadership.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners throughout design, manufacturing, test, and mission integration.

• B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, Structural or related engineering discipline.
• 10+ years of structural design and FEA analysis experience.
• Proven experience owning structural design decisions (not solely in an analysis-support role); demonstrated responsibility for end-to-end hardware from requirements through flight.
• Advanced proficiency in ANSYS Structural for linear and nonlinear stress analysis; experience with thermal–structural coupling strongly preferred.
• Strong FEA workflow methodology, including:
  • Model setup and load case definition
  • Discretization/modeling approach and simplifications
  • Correlation and validation against test or hand analyses
  • Margin assessment and clear communication of structural capability and risk
• Strong understanding of structural design and analysis principles, including metallic design fundamentals, joints, and load paths.
• Structural design experience using CAD (Creo/Windchill preferred), hand calculations, and FEA tools.
• Experience with engineering drawings, ICDs, and technical documentation, including:
  • Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T, ASME Y14.5)
  • Familiarity with ASME Y14.100 and Y14.41 standards
• Experience working with aircraft, spacecraft, or launch vehicle structures, including “hands-on” interaction with hardware on the production floor and/or in service.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional efforts and interface effectively with subsystem leads, thermal engineers, manufacturing, and supply chain.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with compressed decision cycles and evolving priorities.
• Comfortable with ambiguous or incomplete requirements and able to make credible technical calls under uncertainty.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex analysis and recommendations to non-specialists.
• Ability to take ownership of hardware lifecycle from requirements definition through concept development, design, analysis, test, qualification, and integration.

• M.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, Structural or related engineering discipline.
• Experience designing minimal-mass structures for launch vehicles or spacecraft, including hot and cryogenic structures.
• Experience with rapid hardware development cycles and iterative prototyping.
• Demonstrated expertise with industry-standard analysis codes beyond ANSYS, such as: Nastran, OptiStruct, LS-DYNA, HyperMesh, HyperSizer, NASGRO, Abaqus.
• Familiarity with buckling, fatigue, fracture mechanics, and damage tolerance methods for flight structures.
• Experience with structural testing and material characterization, including development of allowable and test–analysis correlation.
• Experience or expertise with metallic aerospace structures, pressure vessel (positive and negative) and associated fabrication methods (e.g., machining, forming, welding, additive).
• Knowledge of systems engineering practices, requirements flowdown, verification and validation, and configuration management.
• Experience participating in the development and modification of equipment, tooling, and fixtures for structural hardware build and test.

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.