Sr. Manufacturing Process Flow & Control DFX Engineer

BLUE ORIGIN•Cupertino, CA

3d•$145,188 - $203,263

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 Process Flow & Control DFX Engineer, you will own the end-to-end manufacturing process flow and process control design integration for TeraWave production — bridging production line architecture, process control systems, and volume production readiness. As a foundational element of TeraWave operations, hardware must be produced through process flows architected not only for throughput but for manufacturability, testability, reliability, and serviceability at constellation scale. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who has designed, optimized, and scaled complex manufacturing process flows and control systems in fast-moving, high-volume manufacturing environments and wants to apply that experience to hardware operating at orbital scale.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field
10+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, production systems, or process engineering in an aerospace, defense, automotive, or high-complexity manufacturing environment
Demonstrated experience designing or improving end-to-end manufacturing flows with multiple interconnected process steps
Working knowledge of process control methodologies — Control Plans, PFMEA, SPC, CPK analysis
Experience defining or implementing verification and test strategies within a production environment
Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles — flow, pull, takt, waste elimination, value stream mapping
Proven ability to work cross-functionally across engineering, quality, operations, and supply chain
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven approach to decision-making
A systems thinker who sees the entire manufacturing line as an integrated system, not a series of isolated operations
Deep passion for building discipline into manufacturing — ensuring that every control, verification, and handoff is purposeful and rigorous
Comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-paced environments where you will help define the processes before they fully exist
A collaborative spirit with the ability to influence without authority across engineering and operations teams
An uncompromising commitment to safety and quality in everything you do

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Engineering or Manufacturing Systems
Experience with propulsion systems, structures, avionics, or fluid systems manufacturing
Hands-on experience with MES platforms (e.g., Solumina, SAP ME, Sight Machine, or similar)
Familiarity with digital twin or simulation tools for manufacturing (e.g., Siemens Plant Simulation, Arena, or similar)
Experience with automated test systems and functional test development for complex hardware
Knowledge of AS9100, AS9102 (FAI), and NASA/DoD manufacturing standards
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
Experience in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment with serialized hardware traceability requirements
Familiarity with Model-Based Definition (MBD) and Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) environments

Responsibilities

Design and own the end-to-end manufacturing process flow, defining how individual manufacturing cells are physically and logically connected to form a complete production line
Develop and maintain Value Stream Maps (VSMs) and Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs) that represent the full material and information flow across the production system
Establish manufacturing cell interfaces — defining inputs, outputs, handoff criteria, and interdependencies between cells
Lead Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Testability (DFT) reviews to ensure products and processes are optimized for flow and control
Identify and eliminate bottlenecks, waste, and flow disruptions using Lean manufacturing principles and systematic analysis
Define and implement process control strategies at the line level, ensuring that critical process parameters (CPPs) and critical quality attributes (CQAs) are monitored and controlled across all cells
Develop Control Plans and Process Control Documents (PCDs) that span the entire manufacturing line, not just individual operations
Establish inter-cell control gates — defining hold/release criteria that must be satisfied before work-in-progress (WIP) moves between manufacturing cells
Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Automation teams to implement Statistical Process Control (SPC) and real-time monitoring solutions at the line level
Drive first-pass yield improvement and escape prevention through proactive process control strategies
Serve as the DFX technical authority for verification and test strategy across the full manufacturing line, ensuring every product characteristic is tested at the right point in the flow
Define the test coverage matrix, mapping product requirements and process risks to specific test and inspection points throughout the production flow
Partner with Test Engineering to design in-process verification stations, functional test sequences, and acceptance test procedures (ATPs) that are integrated into the line flow
Ensure test data traceability — all test results, process data, and verification records are captured, linked to serialized hardware, and accessible for downstream decision-making
Lead the development of Go/No-Go criteria and accept/reject disposition workflows at each verification gate within the line
Drive DFT (Design for Testability) initiatives with product design teams to improve test access, observability, and controllability
Own the manufacturing data architecture for the production line — defining what data is collected, where, how it flows, and how it is used for real-time control and traceability
Partner with Manufacturing IT and Digital Engineering teams to implement Manufacturing Execution System (MES) workflows that enforce process sequencing, capture verification data, and flag non-conformances
Ensure end-to-end serialization and traceability of hardware, materials, and process records from first operation to final acceptance
Leverage manufacturing data to perform line health analytics, identifying systemic issues before they result in escapes or delivery impacts
Engage with product design teams early in the development lifecycle to influence design decisions through the lens of manufacturability, flow efficiency, and testability
Lead formal DFX reviews (DFM, DFA, DFT, DFI, DFC) at key program milestones (PDR, CDR, PRR, MRR)
Identify design features that create flow disruptions, rework loops, or untestable conditions, and drive design changes to resolution
Champion the use of digital twins and virtual factory simulations to model and validate line flow prior to physical implementation
Lead Production Readiness Reviews (PRRs) and Line Readiness Assessments (LRAs) to validate that the full manufacturing line — including all inter-cell connections and verification points — is ready for rate production
Drive continuous improvement initiatives targeting line throughput, flow efficiency, first-pass yield, and test cycle time
Develop and maintain line performance dashboards tracking key metrics: takt adherence, WIP levels, yield by cell, test pass rates, and escape metrics
Support root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action for systemic line-level issues