Engines Project Engineer III

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 diverse team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

This role is part of the Blue Origin Engines business unit, where our focus is the design, development, manufacturing and testing of engines and propulsion systems. Built for multiple uses, our family of engines is powering the next generation of rockets for commercial, civil, national security and human spaceflight.

As part of a hardworking team of diverse engineers, you will work at the intersection of program management, engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and quality organizations, improving team effectiveness and coordination, and ensuring that the right people are working together to solve problems and deliver results on time. Assignments can range from: managing the Valves& Ignition IPT cross functional team and prioritizing the work; managing the scope, cost, schedule and risks; overseeing procurement activities; and coordinating with stakeholders inside and outside of the assigned program IPT. In early project phases, you may define project scope and schedule to achieve overall program goals and component requirements. In later phases, you will coordinate internal and external stakeholders, manage changes, and resolve unexpected problems in support of valves being designed, developed, tested, and integrated into an engine build.

As a Project Engineer within the Engines Design Office, you will lead a passionate team of contributors and experts supporting the BE-4 Valves & Ignition IPT. In this role, you will partner with cross functional groups to deliver engine valves and components. In addition, you may establish and lead Valve or Ignition component teams, help track non-conformances, coordinate test rationale, issue resolution and serve as a liaison between the Program Management Office, Engineering, Manufacturing Operations, and Test. You will contribute to driving design improvements, development & test of valve components and assemblies. You will help define & refine best practices to increase the efficiency of our project execution, manufacturing approaches and processes. As the primary point of contact, you must enjoy solving communication and organizational problems, earning trust, and improving the overall performance of all cross-functional teams involved. We are seeking a self-motivated and highly organized individual who can work with minimal direction and coordinate teams in the successful execution of engineering integration activities. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your dedicated commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable spaceflight.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Develop and maintain project plans; delivering program milestones for hardware builds, testing, and integration
• Lead a cross functional team through execution of all phases of the product lifecycle; concept, design, development, certification, production and flight
• Support BE-4 program meetings and communication paths to the IPT Lead including: weekly/monthly program management reviews, long term forecasting, project deep dives, design reviews, engineering review boards, weekly IPT meetings etc.
• Prioritize, track and report progress in support of valve and ignition assembly and acceptance testing
• Assess programmatic impacts of engineering change requests, develop and present implementation plans, then own them through completion
• Coordinate and drive engineering changes with upstream and downstream stakeholders, both within and outside of the Valves and Ignition IPT
• Respond to unexpected anomalies or escapes by leading a core team through initial response and plan development, while ensuring design and development activities stay on schedule, stay on budget and maintain the highest quality
• Review procurement plans for outsourced parts; verify compliance to scope of work and budget
• Coordinate with procurement, internal and external stakeholders to ensure that tooling needs are met and are actively managed to support program development/build milestones
• Identify and mitigate risks; including removal and escalations of blockers
• Develop recovery strategies when non-conformances or other escapes are identified
• Identify schedule-critical hardware, equipment, people, and facilities; Develop recommendations and plans to resolve constraints
• Develop and report key project metrics

Minimum Qualifications:

• Passion for Blue Origin’s mission: Millions of people living and working in space!
• B.S. Degree in Engineering
• 5+ years of demonstrated project management experience in a technical field
• Experience coordinating and leading teams through aerospace engineering design processes and gated reviews (Preliminary Design Reviews, Critical Design Reviews, etc.)
• Experience leading complex engineering design changes and anomaly investigations; acting as the single threaded leader interfacing with chief engineers, program management and internal/external customers
• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead an engineering team through both programmatic and technical projects
• Experienced with implementing process improvement changes and owning them from cradle to grave
• Demonstrated ability to handle high pressure environments and maintaining composure while leading technical teams to meet program goals
• Possess high attention to detail and strong organizational/coordination skills
• Strong aptitude for troubleshooting and quick thinking to keep the project moving forward
• Demonstrated ability to build trusting and effective working relationships that improve team performance and deliver results
• Working knowledge of configuration management principles and practices
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• M.S. Degree in Aerospace Engineering or Equivalent
• Experience with complex aerospace component development & manufacturing
• Experience with valves, manifolds, fluid systems, ignition systems or relevant skills with combustion devices design, test, and manufacturing
• Experience with creating tools to improve documentation, visibility, and tracking of scope of work and forecasted work
• Experience leading a multi-disciplinary technical team
• Experience with P6, Microsoft Project or other GANTT-style project management tools
• Experience with utilizing JIRA / ITS
• Experience in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA)
• Experience leading teams through trade studies, evaluating both technical and programmatic impacts

Special Mentions:

• Selected candidate must be based onsite in Kent, WA
• Able to travel domestically up to 15% of the year

Compensation range for on-site WA applicants is $120,060-$168,084

Other site ranges may differ

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

Inclusivity Statement

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 a diverse, inclusive, and 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.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Benefits

Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.

Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

Discretionary bonus: Bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.

Eligibility for benefits varies by role type, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified, diverse, and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “EEO Is the Law,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com.

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