Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Blue Origin•Huntsville, AL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Blue Origin is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to serve as the Manufacturing Engineering subject matter expert across the BE-7 and Blue Thrusters programs. This high-visibility staff role divides time equally between the two programs and reports directly to the Director of Operations. BE-7 is entering qualification, with production approaching; Blue Thrusters includes several variants in research and development that need to transition rapidly to production. The role sets manufacturing standards, drives decisive problem-solving, and develops the technical capability of the Manufacturing Engineering team. The engineer leads cross-program manufacturing engineering, design for manufacturability, production readiness, new product introduction, and manufacturing automation. They provide data-backed design feedback, develop scalable production systems for medium-rate production of more than 1,000 units per year, and lead automation from strategy through commissioning. The role also promotes AI-enabled manufacturing and engineering workflows, establishes process controls and inspection plans, and leads root-cause analysis and corrective action. It draws on prior hands-on experience with hardware, work instructions, manufacturing BOMs, and process documentation to review and elevate others’ work. The position is based in Huntsville, Alabama, on A Shift, Monday through Friday. It involves working on the production floor, climbing stairs, working in confined spaces, lifting and carrying up to 40 pounds, and exposure to loud noise, crane lifts, and other standard manufacturing hazards. Applicants must meet the stated U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration-status requirement under export control regulations.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Aerospace, or Materials Science Engineering from an accredited university.
At least 8 years of direct manufacturing engineering experience in a production or development-to-production environment.
At least 5 years of experience authoring work instructions and managing manufacturing BOMs for complex hardware.
Hands-on experience manufacturing propulsion or aerospace hardware.
Proven ability to provide assertive design-for-manufacturability feedback and drive design changes in a cross-functional environment.
Ability to analyze complex manufacturing failures using first-principles and materials-level reasoning.
Experience across multiple manufacturing domains, including precision assembly, welding, machining, and fluid or propulsion systems.
Experience supporting or leading NPI and transition-to-production efforts.
Experience leading or executing the stand-up of an automated manufacturing line or cell.
Demonstrated ability to mentor and improve the technical capability of other engineers.
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Ability to work on the production floor, climb stairs, work in confined spaces, and lift and carry up to 40 pounds.
Comfort working around loud noise, crane lifts, and other standard manufacturing hazards.

Nice To Haves

Materials science background or demonstrated ability to apply materials-level thinking to process development and failure analysis.
Experience developing or deploying AI-assisted manufacturing tools such as vision inspection, predictive quality, or process optimization.
Experience using AI productivity tools to accelerate engineering workflows and developing that capability in others.
Experience with turbomachinery assembly and integration.
Experience with aerospace brazing processes.
Experience with cryogenic valve acceptance testing.
Experience machining additively manufactured parts, including post-processing, fixturing, and tolerance management.
Background in rocket engine or propulsion system manufacturing, including liquid, electric, or cold gas thrusters.
Experience at a high-velocity aerospace manufacturer where speed, decisiveness, and waste elimination are cultural norms.
Lean Six Sigma certification at Green Belt level or higher.
Proficiency in CAD software, preferably Creo or CATIA, and PLM/MRP systems such as Windchill, Teamcenter, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Serve as the Manufacturing Engineering subject matter expert across the BE-7 and Blue Thrusters value streams, splitting time equally between the programs.
Establish and enforce manufacturing best practices, and mentor engineers at all levels to raise the technical capability of the organization.
Promote speed, decisiveness, and first-principles thinking, including identifying and eliminating unnecessary processes.
Represent Manufacturing Engineering in program forums, design reviews, and leadership readouts.
Serve as the technical escalation point for complex manufacturing problems and trace ambiguous failures to physical and materials-level root causes.
Provide assertive, data-backed design-for-manufacturability feedback and drive producibility improvements that reduce cost, cycle time, and rework.
Engage early in the design lifecycle to influence hardware before changes become expensive.
Lead DFM/DFA reviews and translate outcomes into actionable engineering change requests.
Apply first-principles and materials science knowledge to assess design decisions.
Lead manufacturing readiness for BE-7 qualification and transition to production.
Develop and execute NPI strategies for Blue Thrusters variants, creating scalable manufacturing processes.
Architect production systems capable of supporting medium-rate production of more than 1,000 units per year.
Lead the identification, strategy, and implementation of manufacturing automation across both programs.
Drive automation from concept through commissioning, either directly or by overseeing implementation through others.
Develop and deploy AI-assisted manufacturing tools, including vision inspection, predictive quality analytics, and process optimization algorithms.
Use AI productivity tools to accelerate engineering analysis, troubleshooting, and documentation, and build the team’s capability with AI-enabled engineering.
Use prior experience authoring work instructions, managing manufacturing BOMs, and developing process documentation to review, approve, and elevate others’ work.
Establish process controls, quality gates, and inspection plans that scale with production increases.
Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action for non-conformances, conduct FMEAs, and feed lessons learned into design and process baselines.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and 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, possible benefits and bonuses based on individual contributions or company results; amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and may change or be canceled.