Sr. Mechanical Engineer – Avionics Packaging - TeraWave

BLUE ORIGIN•Seattle, WA

8d•$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! Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide. This role sits within the TeraWave Spacecraft Bus Electrical Power Subsystem team. We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own the mechanical packaging for the Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) — one of the most integration-intensive assemblies on the spacecraft. You will be responsible for everything the enclosure touches: card retention, thermal paths, connector access, mounting interfaces, serviceability, mass optimization, producibility, and integration flow. You will drive this hardware from concept through formal qualification, production release, and flight support — at constellation scale. This is a senior role. You will lead design trades, mentor junior engineers, and serve as a technical authority recognized across the broader organization. TeraWave's production rate of thousands of units means your packaging decisions directly drive manufacturing yield, cost, and schedule. If you want to own something end-to-end and see it fly, this role is for you.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field
7 or more years of hands-on experience designing ruggedized electronic enclosures or high-reliability avionics packaging for harsh environment applications
Demonstrated structural and thermal analysis skills, including static, modal, random vibration, and shock analysis using FEA (Ansys preferred) supported by hand calculations
Proficiency with 3D CAD for detailed part and assembly modeling (Creo preferred), including GD&T implementation and tolerance analysis per ASME Y14.5
Experience taking hardware from prototype through environmental qualification, including test plan development, execution, and anomaly resolution
Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum — required for access to export-controlled technical data

Nice To Haves

Experience packaging one or more of the following: avionics enclosures, power regulators, power distribution units, or batteries for space or aerospace applications
Familiarity with spacecraft or launch vehicle avionics systems and associated environmental requirements
Experience with solder fatigue analysis using Steinberg or Engelmeier methods
Experience with additional environmental testing including EMI/RFI and TVAC
Proficiency with thermal analysis tools such as Thermal Desktop/SINDA, Icepak, or FLOTHERM, including model-to-test correlation
Familiarity with aerospace structural analysis references including Bruhn, Shigley, Roark's, and Marks'
Experience with fatigue analysis and fracture mechanics in a spaceflight or high-reliability context
Experience with Creo and Windchill PLM or equivalent configuration management systems
Experience directing the activities of other engineers and leading cross-functional design reviews
Hands-on, practical mechanical fabrication and assembly abilities — comfortable in a lab or build environment
Strong written and verbal technical communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to author specifications, analysis reports, and test plans independently

Responsibilities

Own the full mechanical design of the PMAD avionics enclosure from concept through qualification and production release, including enclosure structure, card retention, thermal management, connector access, mounting interfaces, and serviceability
Define mechanical requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), and design specifications in coordination with systems engineering, electrical engineering, thermal, structures, and manufacturing teams
Develop and maintain 3D CAD models, assemblies, part and assembly drawings, installation drawings, and other required technical documentation
Perform structural analyses — static, modal, random vibration, shock, and fastener/joint — using both hand calculations and FEA; report margins and drive design to closure
Design for thermal performance: conduction paths, heat spreaders, thermal interface materials, and enclosure-level heat rejection; build and correlate thermal models with test data
Perform solder fatigue analysis (Steinberg or Engelmeier) for PCB-level components subject to thermal cycling and vibration
Lead design trade studies for packaging architecture, material selection, and producibility optimization; document results and drive decisions
Build and evaluate prototypes; design assembly aids, test fixtures, and tooling
Support environmental testing — vibration, shock, thermal cycling, TVAC — including test setup, instrumentation, data review, and corrective action development
Perform failure analysis and establish root cause and corrective action for hardware anomalies
Collaborate with Production and Quality Engineering to disposition material defects and support DFM/DFA improvements
Mentor and train junior engineers; review and approve designs and documentation created by other team members