Senior Optical Manufacturing Engineer | A Shift

BLUE ORIGIN • Seattle, WA

1d • $112,059 - $156,883 • Onsite

About The Position

This role is part of Blue Origin’s Operations group and will work with the Lunar Permanence Optical team. To further Blue Origin’s mission of having millions of people living and working in space, the Lunar teams are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface. As part of a diverse hardworking team, the Senior Optical Manufacturing Engineer will lead the manufacturing and integrated test operations for Blue Origin’s growing optical team. You will work alongside the optical systems team developing cameras (IR and visible spectrum) and lidar systems across Blue Origin’s Lunar vehicles. You will lead the development of the manufacturing build flow for these instruments, including establishing the necessary tests and equipment to be employed during the receipt of subcomponents (laser, lenses, etc.), the precision build of subassemblies, the alignment of optics, the calibration of image sensors, and more. You will also be responsible for ramping production quantities over the lifecycle of growing vertically integrated product lines. This role is interdisciplinary and requires coordination among a diverse group of internal stakeholders, adjacent integrated product teams, and suppliers. Your contributions will enable the flight of state-of-the-art aerospace vehicles and missions.

Requirements

• B.S. degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Imaging Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related area of study, from an accredited university.
• 8+ years of related experience in the prototyping, manufacturing, testing, and/or calibration of cameras, image sensors, lidar, or other optical imaging/sensing systems (e.g., aerospace, automotive, medical, or robotics applications).
• Experience developing manufacturing and/or assembly processes for optical elements or instruments, including process control and root-cause analysis.
• Knowledge of scaling production from early prototypes to production volume.
• Experience authoring English-language work instructions and manufacturing documentation.
• Experience applying design for manufacturability, assembly, and test (DFM/DFA/DFT) principles.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings with complex GD&T per ASME Y14.5, and apply tolerance stack-up analysis to optical and opto-mechanical assemblies.
• Familiarity with quality and safety standards (e.g., AS9100, ISO 9001).
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence manufacturing operations, guiding technicians and engineers in manufacturing skills, processes, and requirements, and driving continuous improvement of processes and tooling.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Desire to work hands-on, both independently and as part of a team, throughout the development and production phases of the optical assembly product lifecycle, with a proven ability to earn trust and foster a culture of collaboration.
• U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Nice To Haves

• M.S. degree in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent, from an accredited university.
• 10+ years of experience in design, development, test, and operation of opto-electrical/opto-mechanical systems, including precision opto-mechanical assemblies.
• Background with laser operation, laser safety, and laser output characterization, including laser equipment inspection and performance verification.
• Knowledge and experience with the application of specialty adhesives and epoxies for optical assemblies.
• Knowledge of MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or other programming language(s).
• Ability to define and perform calibration and characterization of imaging systems (MTF, distortion, color accuracy, stray light performance), and to store and manage the resulting calibration data and inspection metrics within the manufacturing flow.
• Experience identifying, specifying, installing, programming, and using state-of-the-art test equipment as needed (e.g., lens alignment equipment, theodolites, interferometers, collimators, etc.).
• Familiarity with NASA standards and optics industry standards.
• Experience in a cleanroom setting with Class 7 operations or better, including previous work in clean process development and maintaining cleanroom environment standards.
• Knowledge of optical component inspection processes for defects such as scratches, chips, and contamination, and the ability to identify non-conformances.
• Experience working with Bill-of-Materials (BOM) and BOM reconciliation.
• Knowledge of Lean manufacturing practices and principles; Lean Six Sigma certification a plus.
• Proficiency with PLM/MRP systems (e.g., Windchill, Teamcenter).
• Experience designing, building, and commissioning tooling, jigs, and fixtures for manufacturing, assembly, and/or test.
• Prior involvement in New Product Introduction (NPI) or transition to production in an aerospace environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop the production flow for the optical products and all testing, alignment, and calibration required during manufacturing.
• Work with key stakeholders to build out the manufacturing cleanroom space.
• Identify and source the needed optical specialty equipment for manufacturing and coordinate purchase and installation of the same.
• Develop medium- and long-term plans for scaling production quantities and rates per program requirements.
• Partner with design engineering to drive design for manufacturability (DFM), assembly (DFA), and test (DFT) into the optical hardware.
• Author and maintain the full set of manufacturing documentation, including work instructions, process flow diagrams, and inspection plans, across all build versions of the hardware, from prototype through full-rate production.
• Lead root cause analysis of process or product non-conformances and drive corrective actions through process FMEAs and risk assessments.
• Effectively communicate development status, risks, and challenges to management.
• Serve as the manufacturing voice during development of camera and optical sensor hardware for guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) of lander subsystems, providing producibility and manufacturability feedback to the design teams and channeling lessons learned from the production floor back into the design.
• Support prototype hardware builds and stand up the associated manufacturing processes.

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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior