Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.
This role is part of Blue Origin corporate functions, providing centralized support across Blue Origin business unit teams, functions, and locations.
Build the future of work for the people building the future in space.As part of a hardworking team of HR and Employee Relations (ER) specialists, you will architect and lead a modern, high-trust, high-rigor, AI-enabled ER function as our Director of Employee Relations. This is a builder role. You will define the strategy, operating model, and standards for how Blue Origin addresses workplace concerns, and you will lead a two-tier team of ER professionals who carry that work out with excellence every day.
You will serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders and a critical partner to Legal, Security, Labor Relations, and HR Business Partners. You will turn case data into foresight, use AI to work smarter and faster without losing the human judgment that defines great ER, help leaders make sound and defensible people decisions, and shape a culture where employees feel safe raising concerns and confident they will be handled well.
Special Mentions - Travel expected up to 30% per quarter or as business need requires
Responsibilities include but are not limited to: - Design and execute a multi-year ER strategy aligned to Blue Origin's mission, growth, and risk profile
- Build the ER operating model end to end: intake, triage, risk tiering, investigation protocols, case management, quality assurance, and closure standards
- Establish service levels, KPIs, and dashboards that measure timeliness, quality, consistency, and outcomes
- Evaluate and implement ER case management technology, including responsible use of AI and analytics to strengthen insight while preserving human judgment
- Champion AI adoption across the ER lifecycle, such as intelligent intake and routing, investigation planning, interview summaries, documentation quality checks, and predictive trend analysis
- Lead, develop, and inspire a team spanning two levels
- Define role clarity, career pathways, calibration practices, and a coaching culture that builds deep investigative capability
- Build AI fluency across the team so ER professionals spend less time on administrative work and more time on judgment, coaching, and resolution
- Set a high bar for objectivity, documentation quality, and empathy in every interaction
- Oversee complex, sensitive, and executive-level investigations, ensuring thorough, timely, and defensible outcomes
- Develop crisis response protocols and lead ER's role in high-stakes incidents
- Identify enterprise-level ER risks and use data and AI-driven insights to spot emerging hotspots early and translate trends into prevention strategies, manager capability building, and policy improvements
- Own and evolve ER policies, playbooks, and manager toolkits, including AI-assisted guidance that helps managers get consistent answers faster
- Deliver training that equips leaders to address performance and conduct issues early, fairly, and confidently
- Present insights and recommendations to senior executives with clarity and influence
Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in business, HR, or related and relevant field; or equivalent experience
- 10+ years of progressive HR and/or Employee Relations experience, including 6+ years leading ER teams and leaders of others
- Experience building, scaling, or transforming an ER function in a complex, fast-paced, or high-growth environment
- Expertise in workplace investigations, including executive and multi-party matters
- Knowledge of federal and state employment law, with working knowledge of the NLRA
- Labor relations exposure, whether in a represented environment, union campaign context, or close partnership with an LR team
Preferred Qualifications - Experience in aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, or technology
- Juris Doctorate (JD) Degree,
- Certifications/Designations: Association of Workplace Investigations (AWI-CH), or SPHR, or SHRM-SCP
- Hands-on experience implementing ER technology or deploying AI tools in HR, including change management and governance
- Familiarity with ITAR, export control, or security clearance environments
- Experience supporting a mixed workforce of engineers, technicians, and manufacturing teams
- Exceptional judgment, composure, and decisiveness in ambiguous, high-stakes situations
- Demonstrated ability to influence senior executives and build trusted partnerships with Legal and Security
- A data-driven mindset with experience using metrics to drive decisions and prevention
- Curiosity about AI and a practical, responsible approach to applying it in sensitive people work
- Outstanding written communication and investigative documentation skills
Base Pay Range for:
WA applicants is $187,923.00 - $263,092.20
Other site ranges may differCulture StatementDon'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.
