Director, NDT-Non-Destructive Testing

BLUE ORIGIN•Huntsville, AL

2d•$203,165 - $284,430•Onsite

About The Position

Blue Origin is seeking a Director of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) to lead its enterprise-wide NDT organization across manufacturing and launch sites. The role establishes strategies, standards, and processes to ensure the integrity of flight and ground-support hardware across programs, and serves as the senior technical authority for NDT methods and applications. It is part of Blue Origin Operations and the Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance team, and reports to the Sr. Director of Quality Assurance. The Director will scale NDT capability in line with Blue Origin’s growing portfolio while improving throughput, efficiency, and production readiness without relying on proportional headcount growth. A central focus is embedding NDT early in design and development: partnering with Design Engineering and Materials & Processes teams on design reviews, material selection, producibility, inspectability, and risk-based requirements. The role will lead technology adoption and automation, requirements optimization, standardized inspection operations, compliance and accreditation, workforce development, and NDT resource planning. Relocation is provided, and the employee must reside full time at a manufacturing site in Kent, Washington; Huntsville, Alabama; or Cape Canaveral, Florida. Travel is expected 20%–30% of the time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, materials science, physics, or a related technical field.
10 or more years of experience in non-destructive testing, inspection engineering, or a related discipline in a manufacturing or production environment.
5 or more years of people-management experience, including leading multi-site or multidisciplinary teams.
Deep working knowledge of NAS410 personnel qualification and certification requirements, and ability to map them to Blue Origin’s internal career-progression framework.
Demonstrated experience developing and managing Written Practices, NDT procedures, and technique sheets.
Demonstrated track record implementing NDT automation, advanced inspection technologies, or process improvements that measurably reduced manual inspection labor, cycle time, or cost.
Proven experience partnering with Design Engineering to influence designs for inspectability and/or rationalize inspection requirements.
Experience with NADCAP accreditation processes and audit readiness.
Strong knowledge of NDT applications for metallic and composite aerospace structures, including welded, bonded, cast, forged, and additively manufactured components.
Proficiency with quality and problem-solving tools, including root-cause analysis, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and statistical methods.
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.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in engineering, materials science, physics, or a related technical field.
ASNT NDT Level III certification in at least two methods, such as UT, RT, PT, or ET, or involvement in ASNT standards-development committees.
Experience in aerospace, defense, or space launch vehicle manufacturing.
Familiarity with advanced NDT methods such as phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT), computed tomography (CT), digital radiography (DR), acoustic emission (AE), or infrared thermography.
Experience transforming an NDT organization from a traditional inspection function into a strategic, engineering-integrated discipline.
Experience implementing automated or robotic NDT inspection systems in production environments.
Knowledge of probability of detection (POD) studies and Model-Assisted POD (MAPOD) methodologies.
Experience supporting hardware from development through rate production, including build-to-print and build-to-spec environments.
Familiarity with ASME Section V and aerospace material and process specifications such as AMS and ASTM.
ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent certification.
Experience with NDT digital-transformation initiatives, such as digital data management, AI-assisted defect recognition, or paperless inspection records.
Familiarity with government and DoD quality requirements, including FAR/DFARS, as they relate to inspection and testing.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute an enterprise NDT strategy emphasizing automation, technology adoption, and requirements optimization to grow capability without proportionally increasing headcount.
Build a continuous-improvement culture using Lean principles, automation, and data analytics to reduce cycle times and waste and improve first-pass yield.
Identify, evaluate, and deploy automated NDT inspection systems, including automated ultrasonic scanning, robotic X-ray, and machine-vision-assisted inspection.
Partner with Engineering to rationalize NDT requirements and determine where inspections can be reduced, consolidated, or eliminated without compromising product integrity.
Develop business cases and roadmaps for NDT technology investments tied to production readiness, cost reduction, and workforce efficiency.
Embed NDT in early design activities, including conceptual and detailed design reviews and producibility assessments.
Partner with Design Engineering and Materials & Processes teams to influence designs, tolerances, and material selections for inspectability and reduced inspection burden.
Work with Design Engineering to ensure acceptance criteria and inspection requirements are risk-based, technically justified, and appropriately scoped.
Support new product introduction and process development by evaluating inspectability, identifying potential inspection bottlenecks, and recommending methods or design changes.
Establish formal engagement processes, such as design-review participation, IPT membership, and producibility review gates, to sustain NDT involvement across programs.
Develop and execute standardized NDT processes, procedures, and specifications across manufacturing and launch sites.
Lead NDT managers, Level 3 examiners, engineers, and technicians covering RT, UT, PT, ET, VT, and advanced or emerging methods.
Serve as the corporate NDT authority and ensure processes and procedures comply with applicable customer and regulatory requirements.
Drive selection, qualification, and standardization of NDT equipment, techniques, and acceptance criteria across programs.
Develop inspection processes and acceptance standards in coordination with Engineering.
Manage NDT nonconformance investigations, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions; provide disposition recommendations and technical rationale.
Establish and monitor NDT KPIs, including turnaround time, throughput, technician utilization, escape rate, and first-pass yield.
Ensure compliance with applicable industry standards and specifications, including ASNT, ASTM, AWS, NAS410, and SSCMAN 91-710.
Support NADCAP accreditation and serve as an NDT subject matter expert for NADCAP and customer audits.
Partner with Supply Chain and Supplier Quality to establish supplier NDT requirements and support supplier capability assessments and audits.
Monitor NDT advancements and represent Blue Origin in industry working groups and standards bodies.
Develop and manage NDT training and career-development pipelines, including apprenticeship programs, certification development, career progression, and continuing education.
Manage capital planning and budgets for NDT laboratories, equipment, and facility infrastructure across sites.
Represent NDT in design reviews, material review boards, program reviews, failure investigations, and executive briefings.
Foster safety, continuous improvement, and technical excellence within the NDT organization.

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 all 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
Some employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses depending on role type, job level, and other factors; bonus eligibility and amounts are not guaranteed