Sr. Manufacturing Interconnection Engineer (Connector, Harness & Cable)

BLUE ORIGIN•Cupertino, CA

28d•$156,802 - $219,522

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 Interconnection Engineer (Connector, Harness & Cable), you will own the end-to-end interconnection assembly design integration of TeraWave modules — bridging connector selection, harness and cable design, 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, integrated, and shipped complex connector, harness, and cable 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 Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in interconnection design, harness/cable engineering, or electromechanical assembly in a product development and volume production environment.
Experience designing connector, harness, and cable assemblies with tight performance and reliability requirements; proficiency in harness design tools (Capital, Zuken E3, SolidWorks Electrical, or equivalent).
Hands-on experience with interconnection assembly processes, including crimping, soldering, potting, connectorization, continuity test, and line bring-up.
Demonstrated application of DFX principles (DFM/DFT/DFA/DFR) in bringing interconnection assemblies from design into volume production.
Excellent technical documentation and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering.
15+ years of relevant experience.
Experience with high-reliability connectors, high-speed/RF cabling, and space-grade wire and harness standards (IPC/WHMA-A-620, NASA-STD-8739).
Experience with harness routing analysis, EMI/EMC shielding, and signal integrity in a design context.
Experience designing and manufacturing interconnection hardware for space, aviation, or other high-reliability thermal-vacuum environments.
Experience with automated harness manufacturing, wire processing equipment, and test systems.
Background in production hardware including comprehensive DFX practices (DFM/DFT/DFA/DFR), process optimization, supply chain coordination, and yield optimization at scale.
Hands-on environmental qualification testing (TVAC, vibration, EMI/EMC).

Responsibilities

Lead interconnection assembly design for satellite modules and subsystems: connector selection, harness routing, cable design, wire termination, backshell integration, and mechanical integration of interconnection hardware.
Own interconnection assembly process development — including crimping, soldering, potting, strain relief, connectorization, continuity testing, and integration workflows — to ensure robust, repeatable assembly.
Manage connector/harness/cable BOM procurement, vendor coordination, wire and connector tolerance analysis, and assembly oversight.
Drive first-article inspection, continuity and 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 interconnection assembly lifecycle to ensure hardware scales from prototype through volume production for TeraWave operations.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Optimize connector selection, harness routing, wire gauge and termination methods, and assembly processes to maximize yield and minimize cost at constellation-scale production volumes.
Design for Test (DFT): Architect continuity test points, connector mating references, and automated test coverage to enable efficient factory acceptance and in-field diagnostics.
Design for Assembly (DFA): Simplify connector count, keying/polarization, routing, and termination methods to reduce assembly time, rework, and error rates on the line.
Design for Reliability (DFR): Apply derating, worst-case analysis, FMEA, thermal-mechanical and vibration analysis, and reliability prediction to ensure stable interconnection performance and long-duration operation in the orbital environment.
Design for Serviceability/Supply Chain (DFS): Coordinate with supply chain and manufacturing partners to drive connector and wire 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.