Casting Technician II
About The Position
Join Blue Origin Operations’ Casting operation as part of a small team building and refining rocket engine components. The role applies technical expertise, leadership, and a commitment to quality to support safe, repeatable human spaceflight. The technician helps improve component design, maintenance, and refurbishment, and identifies and deploys methods to improve quality, reduce cost, and optimize build sequences and schedules. The position also supports DFMA/PFMEA studies to improve feedback between design, build, and test and accelerate rocket engine development. Depending on assignment, work may include pre-cast foundry tasks such as mold preparation and melting or pouring, and/or post-cast finishing such as cleaning, cutting, deburring, blending, blasting, and etching. A finishing assignment may involve precision hand finishing, polishing, and lapping surfaces to drawing requirements. The role also includes maintaining documentation and traceability, identifying issues, organizing hardware and tooling, and performing routine cleaning and light equipment maintenance. A-Shift is listed as 7:00–3:30, Monday through Friday. Relocation is provided.
Requirements
- At least 2 years of hands-on manufacturing experience; aerospace experience is preferred.
- Ability to read work orders, drawings or blueprints, and safety instructions.
- Basic computer skills for electronic work instructions and part tracking.
- Comfort with common hand tools and good hand–eye coordination.
- Ability to perform everyday math using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals.
- Ability to climb ladders and stairs and work in tight spaces.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds for short periods.
- May need to complete respirator fit testing.
- Ability to wear a full blast suit, including helmet, for sandblasting when required.
- Ability to work around heat, furnaces, and heavy equipment while using proper PPE.
- Ability to stand for extended periods and move molds and rigging safely.
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals, U.S. permanent residents, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as refugees or granted asylum.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with hard metals and tight-tolerance parts.
- Blueprint reading skills, including basic GD&T knowledge (ASME Y14.5).
- Deburring experience with nickel-based stainless steels, copper, or titanium.
- Safe operation of cranes and forklifts around flight hardware.
- Comfort working with chemicals and in blast environments using proper PPE.
- Experience with grinding, plasma or abrasive cutting, sandblasting, and chemical etching.
- Familiarity with part traceability and configuration or pedigree.
- Experience using pencil, orbital, and angle grinders and selecting suitable abrasives for the material.
- Ability to provide practical feedback to improve finishing and deburring processes.
- Foundry experience, including mold building, oven work, and melting or pouring.
- Experience preparing molds for casting and operating burnout and preheat ovens.
- Experience receiving and preparing metal for melting.
- Experience operating melting furnaces and safely pouring metal according to instructions.
- Experience using material-handling equipment such as cranes and forklifts safely.
Responsibilities
- Find better ways to manufacture and finish parts to improve quality, reduce cost, and speed up production.
- Support design and process reviews to strengthen the design–build–test feedback loop.
- Create and improve work instructions for each build step.
- Follow safety requirements, use appropriate PPE, and follow safe handling procedures.
- Contribute to Lean continuous improvement by reducing waste and improving safety and quality.
- Communicate clearly, collaborate across teams, and support an inclusive culture.
- Complete required documentation on time and maintain traceability of work performed.
- Perform assigned pre-cast foundry work, including mold preparation and melting or pouring, and/or post-cast finishing, including cleaning, cutting, deburring, blending, blasting, and etching.
- Clean cast parts using knockout, water blasting, and sandblasting.
- Cut and grind parts as needed using plasma or abrasive methods.
- Perform chemical etching when required.
- Mark parts for traceability and enter basic software transactions.
- Identify issues early and assist with corrective actions.
- Keep hardware labeled and organized and maintain basic tooling inventory.
- Occasionally drive a company truck to local vendors; no CDL is required.
- Perform daily cleaning and light maintenance on equipment.
- For precision hand-finishing assignments, review the plan and tools before starting and confirm quality steps.
- Complete job paperwork and part counts accurately.
- Use hand tools to remove burrs, blend features, and break edges safely.
- Lap and polish surfaces to meet drawing requirements and perform precise finishing.
- When assigned foundry work, prepare molds, run burnout and preheat ovens, receive and prepare metal for melting, operate the melting furnace, pour metal safely per instructions, and use material-handling equipment safely.
Benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Basic and supplemental life insurance
- Paid parental leave
- Short- and long-term disability
- 401(k) with company match of up to 5%
- Education Support Program
- Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week
- Paid time off of up to four weeks per year, based on weekly scheduled hours
- Up to 14 company-paid holidays
- Depending on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for bonuses and other benefits based on company policies and discretion.
- Relocation provided
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
