Manufacturing Engineer III – Electric Propulsion

BLUE ORIGIN•Seattle, WA

9d•$112,059 - $156,883

About The Position

This role is part of Blue National Security (BNS), which designs, develops, and delivers launch and spacecraft systems for national security missions. As a member of the BNS propulsion team, the Manufacturing Engineer will lead development of manufacturing processes for the Hall-effect thruster used in propulsion systems that maneuver constellation satellites. The role works across the propulsion team to improve the feedback loop between design, build, and test, and to accelerate product development. The successful candidate will apply aerospace manufacturing experience to make decisions about scalable practices, plan for high-rate production, and mentor junior team members. The role includes establishing manufacturing standards and workflows, developing and commissioning facilities and equipment, translating engineering intent into functional hardware, and scaling development and production capacity. Experience manufacturing electric propulsion thrusters and hollow cathode subsystems in development and production environments is preferred. Relocation is provided, and travel is expected up to 25% of the time. The listed base pay range for Washington applicants is $112,059.00–$156,882.60; ranges at other sites may differ. Applicants must meet the stated U.S. citizenship, national status, permanent residency, refugee, or asylum eligibility under export control regulations. Background checks apply as described in the posting.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
At least 5 years of career experience in propulsion system manufacturing.
Experience manufacturing flight hardware in a production facility or laboratory.
Experience in hardware manufacturing, such as additive manufacturing, welding, machining, cleaning, non-destructive testing, tight-tolerance assembly, leak testing, final acceptance testing of integrated hardware, and Manufacturing Execution Systems or software.
Technical leadership experience in root-cause investigations, process-improvement initiatives, and/or strategic team direction.
Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to an inclusive culture.
Experience developing work instructions with target cycle times and manufacturing processes from engineering drawings or documentation.
Experience with MBOM generation and EBOM/MBOM reconciliation.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical requirements and provide Design for X feedback.
Experience developing and/or managing work-center layouts with consideration for material flow and required production rates.
Familiarity with manufacturing practices such as 5S, Kanban, Quick Changeover, continuous improvement, and error proofing.
Strong safety demeanor and experience, including hands-on planning and conducting of hazardous or critical operations.
Excellent verbal, written, and graphical communication skills.
Ability to collaborate with external stakeholders in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Enthusiasm for mentoring, training, knowledge sharing, and supporting the technical development of team members.

Nice To Haves

Master of Science in Aerospace, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
Proficiency applying GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and performing dimensional variation analysis.
Proven experience developing or starting new manufacturing processes.
Electric-propulsion production system and/or subsystem manufacturing experience.
General familiarity with electric-propulsion system operation and assembly practices, such as ion or Hall-effect systems.
Demonstrated experience creating and commissioning development or production manufacturing infrastructure for electric-propulsion assemblies.
Proficiency in orbital tube welding, an automated Gas Tungsten Arc Welding process, for joining high-performance propulsion-system alloys.
Ability to perform statistical process-control analyses and document and present resulting technical information.
Experience supporting rapid iterative design, build, and test of a propulsion system from concept to production.
Experience scaling and optimizing manufacturing and test practices to increase production rates.
Experience conducting failure investigations and resolving non-conformances in a high-rate production environment.
Experience performing limited CAD design work to draft assembly fixtures or tools.
Excellent computer skills and ability to quickly learn and use software tools.
Experience with the AS9100 Quality Management System.
Experience with analytical and scripting tools such as MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python, or C++.
Experience developing database queries using SQL, Databricks, or similar tools.
Experience developing and deploying automated manufacturing processes.
Experience with requirements-development and management tools and lifecycle-management (PLM) tools.

Responsibilities

Design, procure, assemble, and operate propulsion development manufacturing facilities for system and subsystem assemblies.
Document build and inspection results, conclusions, and recommended paths forward for test and test-article development, and lead discussions of those findings.
Contribute to team growth by assisting with hiring, identifying skill gaps, and mentoring junior team members.
Coordinate with equipment suppliers and Blue Origin facilities on delivery of large or long-lead manufacturing equipment and stations, including facility layouts and specialized infrastructure.
Work with mechanical design, test, and propulsion engineering teams to translate engineering intent, drawings, and configurations into functional hardware.
Develop manufacturing work instructions covering receiving inspection, fabrication, assembly, integration, test, and refurbishment.
Lead Design for Manufacturing, Design for Test, and Design for Assembly reviews.
Develop initial process-control measures and evaluate them through statistical analysis.
Establish manufacturing standards, processes, and workflows for scalable propulsion operations.
Identify, communicate, and mitigate cost, schedule, and technical risks.
Plan manufacturing-capacity scaling for development and production to support concurrent high-rate production and continuous product improvement.

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
Potential role- and level-dependent benefits and bonuses, subject to eligibility and company discretion