Blue Origin

Project Manager III

Blue Origin$110K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 4+ years of project management experience in aerospace or complex technical programs.
  • Technical degree in engineering or related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
  • Experience establishing a program from concept without a pre-existing plan.
  • Ability to create schedules from first principles with minimal data, using MS Project or similar tools.
  • Familiarity with mission-critical systems and assembly-level integration.
  • Knowledge and application of AI systems for data management and metrics improvement.
  • Strong communication skills and ability to foster a culture of safety.

Responsibilities

  • Establish initial project plan, including milestones and success criteria from scratch.
  • Collaborate with engineering to define executable project scope from early concepts.
  • Develop cost estimates and staffing plans to inform funding decisions.
  • Ensure facility readiness is incorporated into project timelines, considering long lead items.
  • Set up project tracking tools and reporting structures from the ground up.
  • Own scope, schedule, budget, and performance of projects throughout their lifecycle.
  • Lead cross-functional teams and ensure alignment on project milestones and deliverables.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
  • 401(k) plan with a company match of up to 5%.
  • Stock options available for all regular employees.
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four weeks per year plus 14 holidays.
  • Education Support Program for continuing learning and development.
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.

This role will work across program management, engineering, facilities, supply chain, finance, and quality - keeping deliverables on track and the right people connected. You will report status, risks, variances, and recovery plans to leadership, and coordinate priorities with teams across the country. Bias for action, strong communication, and the ability to operate with minimal direction are required.

This is a greenfield assignment. You will stand up project management structure where little exists today, building the baseline schedule, cadence, and metrics from a blank sheet. Where an established program hands you a plan to protect, this role asks you to create one. Comfort with ambiguity is essential.

Special Mentions
  • Relocation assistance is provided for this position.
  • This role may require travel up to 20% of the time to coordinate priorities and execution with teams across multiple Blue Origin sites.


Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Build the Baseline
  • Establish the initial project plan, including work breakdown, schedule structure, milestones, and success criteria, from a blank sheet
  • Partner with Engineering to turn early concepts into clear, executable scope
  • Develop initial estimates, cost basis, and staffing plans to support funding decisions
  • Define phase and gate review criteria, and lock requirements and configuration baselines once stable
  • Fold facility, infrastructure, and site readiness needs into the plan, including long lead items that drive critical path
  • Stand up the tools and reporting structure for project tracking where none exists

Plan and Execute
  • Own scope, schedule, budget, and technical performance from concept through delivery
  • Maintain integrated plans and critical path across subsystem and program milestones
  • Track drawing package release and maturity in NX and Teamcenter against schedule need dates
  • Run the recurring cadence of stand-ups, program reviews, and gate reviews
  • Coordinate priorities and execution with teams across multiple sites
  • Track progress, manage variances, and drive recovery plans to closure

Lead Across Functions
  • Coordinate teams spanning mechanical, electrical, software, and test
  • Partner with Facility Project Managers to align facility scope, utilities, and activation schedules with program milestones
  • Bring stakeholders onboard and clarify roles, decision rights, and escalation paths for new scope
  • Negotiate resourcing and priority against established, funded work
  • Lead design reviews and technical interchanges, and support supplier coordination and escalation

Manage Risk and Interfaces
  • Track interfaces between subsystems, escalating conflicts and driving decisions
  • Support design, development, and qualification test campaigns
  • Lead risk and opportunity identification and mitigation, with emphasis on safety, performance, and reliability
  • Support change and configuration control, working with compliance and quality to meet applicable standards

Report and Improve
  • Build metrics and insights that enable clear leadership decisions
  • Apply AI-based tools to streamline planning, analysis, reporting, and execution
  • Produce recurring status reporting for program and Senior Leadership audiences
  • Define and improve project management process and governance as the organization matures

Minimum Qualifications
  • 4+ years of project management experience on aerospace or other complex technical programs
  • Technical foundation demonstrated through a degree in engineering or a related field, an associate degree or technical certificate, military technical training, skilled trade or apprenticeship experience, or equivalent hands-on experience with complex engineered systems. Relevant work experience is counted in place of formal education.
  • Demonstrated experience standing up a new program or capability from concept rather than executing an inherited plan, including the ability to set and drive long-range objectives independently without established precedent
  • Ability to build schedules and estimates from first principles with limited historical data and adapt as scope evolves, with proficiency in MS Project or equivalent scheduling tools
  • Familiarity with mission-critical systems and how subsystems come together at the assembly level, including development and qualification lifecycles and configuration management
  • Knowledge of AI-based systems and proven ability to apply them in your work, along with comfort working with data and building metrics
  • Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills, paired with attention to detail, organizational skills, and a knack for troubleshooting
  • Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of safety
  • 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
  • Experience with NX and Teamcenter, Primavera (P6), Jira, Confluence, Tableau, or Agile/Scrum
  • Experience across multiple phases of the product life cycle on complex aerospace programs, including early-phase work such as concept studies, trade studies, and technology maturation, as well as qualification or acceptance testing
  • Experience with critical path scheduling, integrated master schedules, risk management, and cost account management such as earned value
  • Experience developing a cost basis or proposal for new scope, supported by finance experience or strong business acumen
  • Experience coordinating with facilities, construction, or capital project teams on activation and site readiness
  • Experience defining or improving project management process and governance
  • Experience building or deploying AI-enabled workflows or analytics tools, including SQL or other coding ability
  • Experience supporting large, geographically dispersed programs
  • Familiarity with systems engineering and requirements management practices
  • Program Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent credential

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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