Blue Origin

Director of Manufacturing, Operations & Assembly

Blue Origin$203K — $284K *
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience
  • 15+ years of progressive experience in aerospace manufacturing or closely related industry
  • 5+ years in a senior leadership role managing large, cross-functional teams
  • Demonstrated experience in leading manufacturing and operations in complex environments
  • Proven ability to manage budgets, schedules, and capital projects at a department level
  • Strong quality mindset with expertise in root cause analysis methodologies
  • Effective communication skills across all organizational levels

Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop teams of Managers and Senior Managers in manufacturing and operations
  • Champion a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement
  • Own departmental KPIs, budgets, staffing plans, and capital project portfolios
  • Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to meet production schedules
  • Drive process development and improvement initiatives
  • Collaborate with engineering teams to implement Design for Manufacturability
  • Implement frameworks to enhance world-class manufacturing capabilities
  • Communicate and enforce mission assurance and safety principles

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability
  • 401(k) with up to 5% company match
  • Stock Options for all regular employees
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four weeks per year plus company-paid holidays
  • Additional benefits and bonuses based on role type and individual contributions
Full Job Description

Application close date:

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

This role is part of Blue Origin Operations, which is comprised of Integrated Supply Chain, Test Operations, Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance. This includes Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities.

About This Opportunity

Blue Origin is actively building its senior manufacturing and operations leadership team across multiple sites. We are seeking experienced Directors and Senior Directors with a strong aerospace background to lead high-performing teams in support of rocket engine and spacecraft production programs.

By expressing interest in this opportunity, you will be considered for current and future openings aligned to your experience and location preference. Roles span the following functional areas:

Manufacturing

Provides senior leadership across production operations including assembly, machine shop, heat treat, welding, andcomponentfabrication for space systems and propulsion programs. Accountable forestablishingand maintaining process controls, driving production efficiency, and ensuring safe, repeatable spaceflight hardware delivery at all stages of the product lifecycle.

Test

Provides leadership across test operations supporting engine,component, and system-level testing. Accountable for ensuring test processes are executed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with program requirements. Drives continuous improvement in test throughput, first-time quality, and the feedback loop between test results and production processes.

Fabrication

Provides leadership across fabrication operations including machining, welding, composites, additive manufacturing, cleaning, and post-processing of flight hardware. Accountable for the development, qualification, and continuous improvement of fabrication processes and capabilities that meet the demanding quality and schedule requirements of space and propulsion programs.

Integration

Provides leadership across integration operations supporting the assembly and verification of complex space systems, launch vehicles, and propulsion hardware. Accountable for coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure the safe, on-time integration of hardware in alignment with engineering requirements, mission assurance standards, and program milestones.

Key Responsibilities:

Leaders across these functional areas are expected to:

  • Lead and develop teams ofManagers,Senior Managers, and Directorsdriving manufacturing and operations execution across space and propulsion programs

  • Champion a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement across all functional teams

  • Own departmental KPIs, budgets, staffing plans, and capital project portfolios

  • Partner with Program Management, Site Leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders to meet production schedules and customer expectations

  • Drive process definition, development, deployment, and improvement initiatives including Lean Manufacturing and root cause analysis

  • Collaborate with engineering teams to advance Design for Manufacturability principles and accelerate the transition from development to production

  • Implement and mature production frameworks that support world-class manufacturing capabilities

  • Communicate and enforce mission assurance and safety principles throughout the organization

  • Recruit, develop, coach, and mentor talent at all levels of the organization

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience

  • 15 or more years of progressive experience in aerospace manufacturing or a closely related industry, such as launch vehicles,aircraft, spacecraft systems, or defense

  • 5 or more years in a senior leadership role managing managers and large, cross-functional teams

  • Demonstrated experience leading manufacturing and operations teams in fast-paced, complex environments

  • Proven ability to manage budgets, schedules, and capital projects at a department or program level

  • Strong quality mindset withexpertisein root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies

  • Experience with process definition, development, deployment, measurement, and continuous improvement

  • Effective communicator across all levels of an organization, including executive leadership

  • 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

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Master's degree, MBA, or advanced degree in a relevant engineering or business field

  • Prior experience in aerospace environments supporting space hardware, rocket propulsion, or other mission-critical, high-value components

  • Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, the Toyota Production System, or Six Sigma; Black Belt certification preferred

  • Experience transitioning manufacturing capabilities from development and prototyping into full-rate production

  • Knowledge of fabrication processes including machining, welding, composites, additive manufacturing, cleaning, and non-destructive testing

  • Experience with facility activation, new production line startup, or multi-site manufacturing operations

  • Proficiencywith MRP/ERP, PLM, and Manufacturing Execution Systems


Compensation Range for:

WA applicants is $203,165.00 - $284,430.30

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Benefits

  • Benefits include:  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%, and an 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.

About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is an aerospace company that develops rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company's products include the New Shepard suborbital vehicle and the New Glenn orbital rocket. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Learn more about Blue Origin
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

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