Sr. Responsible Engineer, Deployment Mechanism – TeraWave Solar Array

BLUE ORIGIN•Los Angeles, CA

3d•$133,500 - $203,263

About The Position

Blue Origin’s Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE) team supports the company’s mission of enabling millions of people to live and work in space. The team promotes innovation, future-focused engineering workflows, shared solutions and standards, simplicity, lower costs, and manufacturable designs. The Sr. Responsible Engineer will own the design, development, and qualification of the TeraWave solar array deployment mechanism. The mechanism unfolds the array’s solar power modules on orbit. The engineer will serve as the technical authority for its architecture, analysis, and validation strategy, reporting through the Sr. Manager responsible for top-level wing design and delivery. The role involves defining deployment architectures, leading rapid design-build-test cycles to reduce risk, and coordinating interfaces with the solar power module, photovoltaic assembly, and harness teams so the deployer integrates into the full wing. This is a hands-on role in a cross-disciplinary research and development environment. The engineer will take end-to-end ownership of a complex mechanism, guide component design, support testing and qualification, and help deliver an integrated mechanism for spaceflight. Relocation is provided, and travel is expected up to 25% of the time. Interviews include a technical assessment.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
At least 8 years of experience.
Recent experience designing and building mechanical hardware; experience with passive or active mechanisms is preferred.
Hands-on prototyping and testing experience.
Strong mechanical design, integration, and mechanism-analysis skills using 3D modeling and simulation tools; Creo is preferred.
Experience with GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and tolerance-stackup analysis.
Knowledge of manufacturing, assembly, integration, and verification/qualification testing.
Familiarity with space environments, verification standards, and vacuum environments.
Desire and drive to learn new skills and technical tools as the program develops.
Must be a 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

Experience with solar arrays or other large-format deployable spacecraft structures.
Experience with large-scale deployable or complex moving mechanisms from concept through qualification.
Experience with composites.
Deep knowledge of aerospace mechanism design practices and standards, such as NASA-STD-5017.
Experience with spacecraft materials, coatings, lubricants, and bearing selection.
Experience in mechanical finite element analysis for statics and dynamics; multibody dynamics experience.
Knowledge of mechanism avionics interfaces and control logic.
Experience with test data acquisition systems and data reduction.
Experience with thermal design of spacecraft structures and mechanisms.
Prior experience serving as a Responsible Engineer or technical lead for a mechanism or subsystem.

Responsibilities

Serve as Responsible Engineer for the TeraWave solar array deployment mechanism, owning its design, analysis, and qualification.
Lead the deployer’s design cycle, including trade studies, conceptual and detailed design, structural analysis, development testing, and qualification.
Define the deployment architecture and validation strategy using analysis, prototyping, and environmental testing.
Conduct hands-on prototyping during rapid research and development cycles, including passive actuation, motors, controls, and instrumentation as needed.
Perform kinematic, motor/spring/gear sizing, tolerance-stack, and structural-performance analyses as required by the system design.
Lead and technically guide engineers designing mechanism sub-components and ancillary hardware, including latches, hinges, dampers, and hold-down and release mechanisms; ensure integration with the deployer.
Own deployer interfaces with the solar power module, photovoltaic assembly, and harness subsystems, coordinating with subsystem owners to resolve interface conflicts.
Drive design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA) and producibility to reduce cost and meet schedule as the deployer approaches production.
Generate component and assembly drawings and interface control documents using GD&T per ASME Y14.5.
Perform flight-hardware testing, including TVAC, modal, vibration, and functional deployment testing.
Own the deployer-level risk register and DFMEA, and drive rapid issue resolution during integration, testing, and qualification anomalies.
Collaborate across structural, thermal, electrical, and manufacturing disciplines to deliver an integrated mechanism.
Coach, mentor, and technically assist junior engineers working on the deployment mechanism.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Basic and supplemental life insurance.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability coverage.
401(k) with company match of up to 5%.
Education Support Program.
Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week.
Paid time off of up to four weeks per year, based on weekly scheduled hours.
Up to 14 company-paid holidays.
Relocation provided.
Depending on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses; bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and may change or be cancelled.