Structural Design Engineer III – Payload Accommodations

BLUE ORIGIN

Structural Design Engineer III role at Blue Origin, developing and testing structural systems for New Glenn. Collaborating to ensure safe, reusable space vehicles for human spaceflight.

Posted 6/12/2026full-timeColorado, Florida, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $110,938 - $155,312 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Take ownership of the full lifecycle of hardware from requirements definition through concept development, design, analysis, testing, qualification, and integration onto a launch vehicle
Design, analyze, develop, and test primary and secondary metallic and composite structures
Perform research, develop concepts, and run trade studies
Create 3D models, detail part drawings, assemblies, installations, and interface control documents
Create test plans, specifications, and other documentation for the development of flight hardware
Provide technical guidance and on-site support for manufacturing, production, and integration activities
Support configuration development and trade studies
Take ownership of test planning, execution, data reduction, analysis, and authoring of test reports
Work with cross-functional teams that are responsible for selecting materials, manufacturing processes, and suppliers to produce world class aerospace hardware
Develop component specifications and manage suppliers
Plan, coordinate, conduct tests, and review test data
Participate in the development and purchase of new equipment and tooling
Maintain and report on activity schedule, budget and technical status
Coach, mentor and technically assist other engineers
Identify opportunities for improvements and operational cost savings
Work with spacecraft customers in a technical capacity
Own spacecraft structural integration cycles
Drive hardware discrepancies to resolution
Prepare technical content and present to internal and external customers
Complete hand calc and FEM analyses to report margins of safety for primary and secondary aerospace structures
Perform access studies, loss of clearance analyses, vehicle clocking studies, and develop solutions to mission unique requirements
Collaborate with internal and external teams throughout design, manufacturing, and mission integration.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Minimum of a B.S. degree in engineering and 6 years of experience with aircraft, spacecraft, or launch vehicle structures
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.
Experience on recently developed aircraft or launch vehicles in one or more of the following areas:
o Vehicle load path distribution, and first order strength assessment and sizing
o Skin-stringer and sandwich panel design
o Material selection, compatibility and manufacturing techniques
Experience working in a cross-functional organization to develop designs and produce world-class engineered products
Strong understanding of composite and metallic design fundamentals
Demonstrated expertise with any industry standard analysis codes: Ansys, Nastran, Optistruct, LS Dyna, Hypermesh, Hypersizer
Experience in bolted joint design and analysis
Experience with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance analysis (ASME Y14.5)
Familiarity with ASME Y14.100 and Y14.41
Structural design experience using CAD (Creo/Windchill preferred), hand calculations, and FEA (ANSYS preferred) tools
Ability to take ownership of the hardware lifecycle from requirements definition through concept development, design, analysis, testing, qualification, and integration onto a launch vehicle
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Collaborative mindset and effective interpersonal skills
Strong desire to continuously learn and improve
Self-motivated with a strong desire to learn, take ownership, and drive projects to completion
Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance
Paid parental leave
Short and long-term disability
401(k) with a company match of up to 5%
Education Support Program
Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours
Up to 14 company-paid holidays.
Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intention to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

3D modelingFEM analysisstructural designmaterial selectionbolted joint designGeometric Dimensioning and Tolerancehand calculationsflight hardware developmenttest planningdata analysis

Soft Skills

collaborative mindsetstrong written communicationstrong verbal communicationinterpersonal skillsself-motivatedownershipcoachingmentoringproblem-solvingcontinuous learning