Senior Mechanical Engineer

BLUE ORIGIN

Sr Mechanical Engineer responsible for production jettison systems on launch vehicles at Blue Origin. Leading engineering lifecycle and collaboration within cross-functional teams.

Posted 6/12/2026full-timeGreater Seattle Area • Colorado, Florida, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $133,500 - $186,898 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as the system responsible engineer (SRE) for production jettison and separation systems on a launch vehicle payload fairing.
Own end-to-end production engineering for pyrotechnic and ordnance-actuated separation mechanisms.
Lead anomaly resolution and root cause investigations for production hardware nonconformances.
Drive certification activities and interface with regulatory bodies and customer organizations.
Develop and maintain system-level documentation including interface control documents, specifications, and acceptance criteria.
Resolve structural margin and loads issues related to separation system interfaces.
Provide manufacturing and production support for ordnance-based mechanical systems.
Coordinate with suppliers on ordnance components, energetic devices, and custom mechanical assemblies.
Support launch preparation, engineering support requests, and flight readiness activities.
Work with cross-functional teams responsible for selecting materials, manufacturing processes, and suppliers to produce world class aerospace hardware.
Maintain and report on schedule, budget, and technical status.
Coach, mentor, and technically assist other engineers.
Identify opportunities for improvements and operational cost savings.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Minimum of a B.S. degree in engineering and 8+ years of experience with aircraft, spacecraft, or launch vehicle structures, mechanisms, or pyrotechnic systems.
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 with pyrotechnic or ordnance-actuated separation systems (e.g., linear shaped charges, frangible joints, pin pullers, explosive bolts, or similar energetic devices).
System-level engineering ownership experience - ability to own a complex mechanical/pyrotechnic system end-to-end from design through production and flight.
Experience with structural dynamics, FEM interpretation, and loads analysis as applied to separation events.
Strong understanding of production engineering processes for flight hardware.
Experience with certification or qualification processes (e.g., NSSL, NASA, FAA, or equivalent regulatory frameworks).
Experience with anomaly resolution, failure investigation, and root cause analysis on flight or flight-like hardware.
Mechanical design experience using CAD (Creo/Windchill preferred), hand calculations, and FEA (ANSYS preferred) tools.
Experience with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance analysis (ASME Y14.5).
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.
Collaborative mindset and effective interpersonal skills.
Strong desire to continuously learn, improve, and drive solutions forward.

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, and 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 intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

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Hard Skills & Tools

pyrotechnic systemsordnance-actuated separation systemsstructural dynamicsFEM interpretationloads analysismechanical designGeometric Dimensioning and Tolerancefailure investigationroot cause analysisproduction engineering processes

Soft Skills

strong written communicationstrong verbal communicationcollaborative mindsetinterpersonal skillscoachingmentoringtrust buildingprofessional relationship managementcontinuous learningproblem-solving

Certifications

B.S. degree in engineeringNSSL certificationNASA certificationFAA certification