Structural Engineer III - Ground System Test Infrastructure

BLUE ORIGIN•Seattle, WA

12d•$99,201 - $138,880

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 the New Shepard program. New Shepard is a reusable suborbital rocket system designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Kármán line – the internationally recognized boundary of space. Through operational reusability, New Shepard supports our mission of lowering the cost of access to space. Blue Origin's test stands take on some of the most extreme structural loads in the industry — thermal shock, blast-level impulsive loads, and dynamic forces from rocket engine firings. As a Structural Engineer on the Ground System Design & Test team, you'll design and analyze the structures that make that testing possible — small to medium steel structures, flame diverters, engine test stand structural hardening, pipe and equipment supports, access platforms, and custom fixtures and test article mounts in steel and aluminum — using both hand calculations and FEA, across every Blue Origin engine and component test site. Reporting to the Director of Test Engineering and Development, you'll own structural deliverables from concept through activation, partnering with mechanical/fluids engineers, CAD designers, construction project managers, and civil contractors to bring test facilities to life.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related engineering discipline
6+ years of structural engineering experience, with demonstrated structural analysis and design of industrial or heavy structures
Proficiency in structural analysis software, including STAAD and ANSYS (or equivalent — e.g., RISA, SAP2000, ETABS, NASTRAN), and demonstrated ability to analyze by both hand calculation and FEA
Experience designing small to medium structural steel systems per AISC and ASCE 7 standards
Experience producing structural construction drawings and 3D models using any standard CAD/BIM tool (e.g., Revit, Tekla, Creo, AutoCAD)
Proficiency in geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) per the ANSI/ASME Y14.5 standard
Demonstrated ability to independently own structural deliverables across the full design cycle
Experience with root cause analysis and corrective actions for structural non-conformances
Must hold, or be able to obtain, a Professional Engineer (PE) license in at least one U.S. state
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

Active PE license in Washington, Alabama, Texas, or Florida; ability to obtain licensure in additional states supporting our test sites is a strong plus
Pipe stress analysis experience is a plus but not required — we're glad to develop this skill on the job
Experience with structural design/analysis of propulsion test stands, launch facilities, or comparable high-load industrial structures
Experience with seismic design, blast/impulsive load analysis, or dynamic load environments from rocket engine or propulsion testing
Experience with Creo specifically, or designing custom fabricated structural hardware / engine integration fixtures
Experience coordinating structural scope with construction PMs and civil contractors during facility construction or modification
Experience with HAZOP processes and facility safety reviews in an industrial or aerospace environment

Responsibilities

Perform structural analysis and design for structural steel frames, thrust structures, flame diverters, anchor systems, pipe/equipment supports, and facility structural elements subjected to static, dynamic, thermal, and impulsive/blast loads from rocket engine testing
Design and analyze small to medium structural steel systems including primary load-bearing frames, bracing, access platforms, and embedded anchor systems per AISC and ASCE standards
Produce structural analyses using both hand calculations and FEA (e.g., STAAD, ANSYS, or equivalent); release calculations, analysis reports, and supporting engineering documentation
Develop 3D structural models and construction drawings, coordinating with the CAD drafting team to ensure design intent carries through to construction documents
Design custom fixtures and test article mounts (steel and aluminum) for engine/component integration to test stands, partnering with mechanical engineering on interface and adapter structures
Evaluate existing test stand structures against new load cases from upgrades, new engine configurations, or facility modifications, including structural hardening for new test campaigns
Work with construction project managers and civil contractors to ensure design intent is realized in the field; support RFIs and non-conformance disposition
Serve as the structural engineering representative in HAZOP and facility safety reviews, identifying and communicating structural risk across the project lifecycle
Own structural deliverables with minimal oversight; mentor junior engineers and designers