Materials & Process Engineer III, Polymers and Nonmetallics

BLUE ORIGIN•Seattle, WA

8d•$121,023 - $169,432

About The Position

This role supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable. As part of a high-functioning, cross-functional team, you will be responsible for the selection, characterization and qualification of materials and processes (M&P) across all types of components (valves, regulators, actuators, EMAs, quick disconnects, umbilical panels, COPVs, etc.) on the New Glenn rocket. In this role you will support the VAST (Valves, Actuators, Component Standards, and Technology) team, with an emphasis on the nonmetallic materials. This includes the review and approval of material selections for both in-house and off-the-shelf components, as well as project work such as developing processes and characterizing material properties and allowables. You will apply your experience with polymers and nonmetallic materials addressing phenomena such as compatibility, wear, cold flow, friction, and foreign object debris (FOD) generation. This is a hands-on role requiring a practical approach. You will be spending time in test labs disassembling and diagnosing failed components. If the problems turn out to be with the metallic components, you will get pulled into that as well, so general materials knowledge and curiosity is required. Our best team members are flexible in constantly evolving environments, collaborative, detail-oriented, and hardworking. We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise and dedication to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight! Passion for our mission and vision is required.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering, or a relevant field from an ABET-accredited school.
5+ years of experience with materials and processes used in aerospace or other relevant industry.
Experience in materials and manufacturing process review and selection, development, and qualification
Experience with various nonmetallic materials used for sealing and bushings (e.g., PTFE, PCTFE, FEP, PEEK, Vespel, and elastomers)
Demonstrated experience developing and executing test plans for materials and processes.
Knowledge of industry standards and databases for material data analysis (e.g., MAPTIS, CMH-17).
Solid interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to learn, grow, and tackle new challenges in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent attention to detail and task ownership; someone who demonstrates pride in all work and willingness to perform low-level tasks when needed.
Ability to work harmoniously with cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience with aircraft, launch vehicle, spacecraft, or satellite development.
Experience with materials in extreme environments (e.g., cryogenic temperatures, pure oxygen).
Experience with a variety of nonmetallic and polymer material manufacturing technologies (e.g., injection and compression molding, extrusion, and machining).
Experience evaluating wear, creep/cold flow, and cyclic durability of sealing materials.
Experience running ambient, elevated temperature, and cryogenic material testing
Experience with statistical analysis for the preparation of design allowables.
Experience working with product lifecycle management (PLM) software, including release and approval processes.
Experience with tribological testing of polymers (e.g., coefficient of friction, and FOD generation characterization).
Experience with wear-resistant coatings and dry-film lubricants for sealing interfaces.
Experience in Design of Experiment (DoE) setup, executing, and data analysis

Responsibilities

Work with a cross-functional team on material selections, manufacturing processes, and suppliers to produce aerospace hardware.
Review and approve drawings for conformance to the New Glenn Parts, Materials and Process Plan, ensuring proper selection and definition of materials and processes.
Own material characterization and allowables development, and help expand the current database of nonmetallic and polymer material properties.
Support the development and qualification of material related processes.
Provide technical support and disposition of nonconformances arising from the application and implementation of material and/or process control requirements.
Experience with characterization and inspection methods relevant to nonmetallic materials (e.g., FTIR).