Sr. Program Safety and Reliability Engineer

BLUE ORIGIN•Los Angeles, CA

1d•$145,188 - $203,263•Onsite

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. This role is part of Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design. In this hands-on role, you will be based full-time on-site at our Los Angeles facility, working with the Space Resources Program team. We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced safety- and reliability-focused engineer to own critical system safety and reliability activities, starting with early hazard identification and carrying through to full evaluation and execution of mitigation plans. You will dive deep into both flight and non-flight hardware, collaborating with the team to drive robust system safety and reliability and address nuances inherent in early technology development with exotic materials and processes. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment and is comfortable balancing technical risk, schedule pressure, and evolving program needs. This position works in close partnership with Engineering, Test Operations, Facilities, and EHS to identify hazards, reduce operational risk, and enable safe execution of program objectives. While embedded within the program organization, this role carries responsibilities similar to a senior EHS engineer in support of day-to-day operations and serves as a complementary hands-on function to the corporate EHS team, not a replacement for it. As part of a hardworking team of safety and technical professionals, you will provide subject matter expertise to engineering, production, and test resources related to program safety, occupational safety, process safety, and environmental compliance implementation. You will support all phases of hardware development and campaign execution, including design reviews, hazard assessments, management of change, test readiness reviews, incident investigations, and emergency response planning. This role will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your commitment and detailed attention toward safe and repeatable spaceflight. We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required.

Requirements

Minimum of a B.S. degree in engineering, chemistry, environmental science, industrial hygiene, occupational safety, or a related technical field
10+ years total work experience in safety, EHS, process safety, system safety, reliability engineering, or operational risk management
5+ years work experience in an operational aerospace environment, manufacturing, chemical industry, pilot plant, prototyping, or test operations
Knowledge of applicable OSHA, EPA, NFPA, ANSI, and state/local regulations
Knowledge of Process Safety Management methods and hazard control principles
Experience supporting hazard assessments, job hazard analyses (JHAs), risk assessments, and implementation of corrective and preventive actions
Experience supporting incident/accident reporting practices, investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action closure
Ability to provide safety input to design reviews, test reviews, readiness reviews, and non-routine operations
Knowledge and ability to use industrial hygiene tools and monitors, or ability to interpret and apply industrial hygiene data in partnership with EHS
Expertise in writing technical reports, safety assessments, procedures, and investigation summaries
Good analytical skills and attention to detail, with an ability to interpret and communicate complex technical information
Ability to work effectively across engineering, operations, test, facilities, and EHS teams
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment with evolving program needs and schedule pressure
Candidate must be able to lift/carry up to fifty pounds, physically climb multiple flights of stairs, withstand prolonged standing, and work in adverse weather or industrial conditions as needed

Nice To Haves

15+ years total work experience in safety, EHS, process safety, system safety, reliability engineering, or operational risk management
7+ years work experience in operational aerospace, manufacturing, chemical processing, pilot plant, R&D, or developmental test environments
Experience supporting high-risk test campaigns, startup/commissioning, or 24/7 operations
Experience with: Management of Change (MOC)
non-routine process approval
construction safety oversight
emergency response planning
test readiness reviews / go-no-go reviews
corrective action and GEMBA action closure
Experience supporting systems involving: high-temperature operations
high-power electrical systems
vacuum systems
compressed gases
hazardous chemicals
stored energy / thermal mass hazards
Strong knowledge of incident response and emergency coordination for spills, gas releases, thermal events, and abnormal operating conditions
Demonstrated ability to work across functions (design, operations, test, EHS, quality/mission assurance) to drive closure of risk mitigations.
Experience partnering closely with a corporate EHS organization while serving as an embedded program safety resource
Experience supporting early-stage technology development, exotic materials, and novel processes
Expertise in Life Safety Code (NFPA 101)
ASP, CSP, CIH, or CHMM certification
Advanced degree in engineering, safety, chemistry, environmental science, or a related technical field

Responsibilities

Serve as the embedded senior program safety engineer supporting the Space Resources Program team through design, build, commissioning, and test execution
Implement safety programs and practices for the evaluation and control of potential hazards including, but not limited to, industrial hygiene concerns, fall protection, confined space, lock out/tag out, process safety management, hazard assessments, hearing conservation and noise hazards, heat stress, chemical hazards, and environmental management in support of program operations
Lead early hazard identification efforts and carry hazards through evaluation, control definition, mitigation planning, verification, and closure
Provide subject matter expertise in design reviews, test reviews, readiness reviews, and operational planning
Support safety and reliability assessments for both flight and non-flight hardware, with emphasis on developmental systems, exotic materials, and non-routine processes
Perform a wide range of safety consultation services, including planning, managing, and reporting the results of assessments
Support incidents and emergencies, including spills, injuries, hazardous operations, equipment upsets, abnormal test conditions, and other emergency situations
Partner closely with the corporate EHS team to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal safety, health, and environmental regulations
Prepare technical reports, safety assessments, readiness summaries, investigation findings, and other documentation as required
Continually update and ensure compliance with Blue Origin processes and procedures
Support onboarding and indoctrination of new employees on program safety and EHS expectations
Assist in waste disposal activities including hazardous waste, non-hazardous waste, universal waste, and recycling materials in coordination with EHS
Contribute to the injury/illness and near miss reporting process, including investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action development
Develop, update, and deliver safety and EHS training relevant to program operations
Serve as a program focal point for safety and environmental issues and concerns
Evaluate operations for continuous process improvement and implementation of preventive action measures
Support development, review, and closure of job hazard analyses and risk assessments
Provide subject matter expertise to engineering and production resources related to safety, process safety, and EHS
Provide safety and EHS-related input for equipment, facility, and operational design changes
Perform periodic audits and assessments of safety programs, work areas, and operational readiness
Support Management of Change (MOC), non-routine process approval, construction safety oversight, emergency response planning, and go/no-go safety readiness reviews
Provide direct support to campaign operations, including off-hours or 24/7 activities as needed
Work across engineering, operations, and EHS teams to balance technical risk, schedule demands, and evolving program requirements while maintaining safe execution
Use test, production, and field performance data to identify dominant failure modes and hazards, quantify risk, and drive corrective/preventive actions.
Partner with design, integration and operations teams to incorporate hazard controls and reliability requirements into system design, procedures, and configuration baselines.
Collaborate with SQMA / Mission Assurance to align hazard and reliability evidence with mission assurance plans, product acceptance criteria, and risk acceptance processes.