Manufacturing Design Engineer III - GSE & Tooling
About The Position
This role is part of Blue Origin Operations and the Lunar Permanence team. The engineer works with specialists, technicians, and engineers to develop and implement manufacturing and production processes for lunar vehicles, with a strong emphasis on tooling and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) design. The role translates design requirements into tooling, GSE solutions, and production systems that enable efficient, high-quality aerospace hardware manufacturing. The position supports the full lifecycle of tooling and GSE development, from requirements definition and concept and detailed design through fabrication coordination, validation, implementation, and continuous improvement. It also develops and releases engineering artifacts, advises design engineering on manufacturability, assembly, test, and integration, and ensures processes, tooling, GSE, and procedures comply with engineering specifications, contract requirements, safety standards, and applicable regulations. The role is based in Kent, Washington, with relocation provided and travel expected up to 10%. The schedule is first shift, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; interviews include a technical assessment. Flexibility to support critical milestones, potentially requiring extended hours, is required.
Requirements
- B.S. degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
- At least 5 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, tooling design, GSE design, production support, or hardware development; aerospace or another highly regulated industry is preferred.
- Demonstrated experience designing, developing, releasing, and implementing tooling, assembly fixtures, handling equipment, test support equipment, or other complex GSE for mechanical assemblies.
- Proficiency with 3D CAD tools, engineering design fundamentals, GD&T, tolerance analysis, design for manufacturability and assembly, and configuration-controlled documentation.
- Extensive experience supporting production operations, working with technicians, resolving nonconformances, improving processes, and ensuring compliance with engineering, safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
- Demonstrated experience using hand calculations for structural analysis of tooling and GSE strength, stability, and failure modes.
- Experience using issue-tracking tools and Microsoft Office applications to develop, release, and manage engineering documentation and production support tasks.
- Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills, independence, a strong sense of urgency, and the ability to work in a dynamic and sometimes ambiguous environment.
- Flexibility to support critical milestones, which may require extended hours.
- Applicants 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.
Nice To Haves
- High proficiency in Creo, CATIA, NX, Windchill, or similar CAD/PLM tools, including configuration-controlled design release.
- Experience using ANSYS or similar FEA tools to evaluate tooling and GSE for strength, stiffness, stability, and load-case requirements.
- Experience working within Model-Based Definition (MBD) design environments.
Responsibilities
- Design tooling, fixtures, handling equipment, and GSE for efficient manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing of flight hardware, emphasizing modularity, usability, and rapid implementation.
- Collaborate with design and manufacturing engineering, technicians, quality, and operations to develop or revise build processes, tooling concepts, and concepts of operations.
- Plan and support builds of engineering demonstrators, test articles, and prototype hardware, including hands-on fabrication, assembly, and test support to validate manufacturing approaches.
- Drive Design for Excellence principles, conduct producibility assessments, support trade studies, and develop roadmaps to bridge manufacturing technology gaps.
- Define, develop, and refine tooling and GSE requirements to support rapid design, fabrication, deployment, and iteration.
- Develop, release, and maintain engineering documentation, including CAD models, drawings, specifications, procedures, and other artifacts needed for tooling and production implementation.
- Support tooling fabrication, validation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient production of lunar vehicle hardware.
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, 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 based on role type, job level, individual contributions, company results, or other factors; amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
