Senior Manufacturing Opto-Mechanical & Sensor DFX Engineer
About The Position
At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! This role is part of Blue Origin Operations, which is comprised of Integrated Supply Chain, Test Operations, Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance. This includes Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities. Blue Origin's Emerging Systems business unit is building TeraWave, a satellite communications constellation powered by the most advanced optical communications architecture ever attempted: thousands of optically interconnected satellites delivering symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth, providing enterprise and hyperscale customers with resilient, scalable connectivity for critical operations where terrestrial infrastructure cannot reach. As a Senior Manufacturing Opto-Mechanical & Sensor DFX Engineer, you will own the end-to-end opto-mechanical and sensor assembly design integration of TeraWave modules — bridging precision optical alignment, sensor integration, mechanical packaging, and volume production readiness. As a foundational element of TeraWave operations, hardware must be architected not only for performance but for manufacturability, testability, reliability, and serviceability at constellation scale. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who has designed, aligned, and shipped complex opto-mechanical and sensor assemblies in fast-moving, high-volume manufacturing environments and wants to apply that experience to hardware operating at orbital scale.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in opto-mechanical design, sensor integration, or precision mechanical assembly in a product development and volume production environment.
- Experience designing opto-mechanical assemblies with precision optical alignment, tight tolerances, and thermal-mechanical considerations; proficiency in SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or equivalent CAD tools.
- Hands-on experience with optical alignment processes, sensor integration, tooling and fixture development, bonding, and line bring-up.
- Demonstrated application of DFX principles (DFM/DFT/DFA/DFR) in bringing opto-mechanical or sensor assemblies from design into volume production.
- Excellent technical documentation and communication skills.
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree in Optical, Mechanical, or Photonics Engineering.
- 15+ years of relevant experience.
- Experience with free-space optics, fiber optics, laser communications, or precision beam-steering systems.
- Experience with optical alignment budget analysis, athermalization techniques, and GD&T (ASME Y14.5).
- Experience designing and manufacturing opto-mechanical or sensor hardware for space, aviation, or other high-reliability thermal-vacuum environments.
- Experience with structural, thermal, or optical performance analysis (FEA, STOP analysis) in a design context.
- Background in production hardware including comprehensive DFX practices (DFM/DFT/DFA/DFR), alignment process optimization, supply chain coordination, and yield optimization at scale.
- Hands-on environmental qualification testing (TVAC, vibration, EMI/EMC).
Responsibilities
- Lead opto-mechanical assembly design for optical communication modules and sensor subsystems: optical mounts, alignment mechanisms, beam-path integration, sensor packaging, and mechanical integration of precision optical and sensing hardware.
- Own opto-mechanical and sensor assembly process development — including alignment procedures, active/passive alignment tooling, bonding, athermalization, and integration workflows — to ensure robust, repeatable assembly.
- Manage opto-mechanical and sensor BOM procurement, vendor coordination, tolerance and alignment budget analysis, and assembly oversight.
- Drive first-article inspection, optical performance validation, process validation, and manufacturing readiness reviews to support production ramp.
- Drive Design for Excellence (DFX) principles — DFM, DFT, DFA, DFR, and DFS — across the full opto-mechanical and sensor assembly lifecycle to ensure hardware scales from prototype through volume production for TeraWave operations.
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Optimize optical mount geometry, material selection, alignment features, and assembly processes to maximize yield and minimize cost at constellation-scale production volumes.
- Design for Test (DFT): Integrate optical access points, alignment references, sensor test features, and fixturing to enable efficient optical performance verification, factory acceptance, and in-field diagnostics.
- Design for Assembly (DFA): Simplify part count, alignment features, fastening and bonding methods, and integration steps to reduce alignment time, rework, and error rates on the line.
- Design for Reliability (DFR): Apply tolerance stack-up and alignment budget analysis, worst-case analysis, FMEA, thermal-mechanical and vibration analysis, and reliability prediction to ensure stable optical performance and long-duration operation in the orbital environment.
- Design for Serviceability/Supply Chain (DFS): Coordinate with supply chain and manufacturing partners to drive component standardization, second-sourcing strategies, and obsolescence mitigation across the production lifecycle.
- Partner with manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams to define acceptance criteria, drive yield optimization, and support production ramp for sustained TeraWave operations.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
- Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
- Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
