Blue Origin

Senior Reliability Engineer - Hardware Systems

Blue Origin$197K — $276K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials science, or reliability engineering.
  • 7+ years of experience in hardware reliability engineering, validation testing, or failure analysis.
  • Direct experience with environmental chambers and vibration testing systems.
  • Proficiency in reliability statistics and analysis software like ReliaSoft or Minitab.
  • Experience leading cross-functional DFMEA sessions and implementing design modifications.

Responsibilities

  • Design and execute advanced reliability test plans including HALT, HASS, and ESS.
  • Oversee weather-proofing testing programs including UV exposure and extreme thermal cycling.
  • Conduct root cause failure analysis on electrical components and structural interfaces.
  • Lead DFMEA to develop models predicting product lifetime and warranty risks.
  • Collaborate with engineering teams on FEA/CFD results and PDN profiles for stress area targeting.
  • Work with external labs to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options available.
  • Paid parental leave and short/long-term disability insurance.
  • 401(k) plan with up to 5% company match.
  • Stock options available for all regular employees.
  • Up to four weeks paid time off plus 14 company-paid holidays.
Full Job Description
Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

We are seeking a Senior Reliability Engineer to own the reliability strategy, testing framework, and environmental validation for our next-generation satellite user terminal hardware. In this role, you will design and execute advanced testing protocols to ensure high-power, electronically steered systems perform reliably in extreme outdoor environments.

You will collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, and RF teams to identify design vulnerabilities, predict product lifetime, and drive hardware improvements prior to mass production.

Core Responsibilities
  • Design and execute reliability test plans, including Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT), Highly Accelerated Stress Screen (HASS), and Environmental Stress Screening (ESS).
  • Set up and oversee physical testing programs for weather-proofing, including ingress protection (IP67+ water/dust), UV exposure degradation, solar radiation, salt fog corrosion, and extreme thermal cycling.
  • Lead deep-dive root cause failure analysis on electrical components, PCB solder joints, materials, and structural interfaces using tools like X-ray, microscopy, and cross-sectioning.
  • Ownership of DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis). Develop physics-of-failure models to predict product lifetime, Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), and warranty risks.
  • Collaborate with mechanical engineers on FEA/CFD results and electrical engineers on Power Delivery Network (PDN) profiles to target specific high-stress areas (thermal hotspots, high vibrational loads) during physical testing.
  • Work with external test labs to validate regulatory compliance standards and ensure component suppliers meet strict quality and reliability baselines.


Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or Reliability Engineering.
  • 7+ years of experience in hardware reliability engineering, validation testing, or failure analysis for outdoor electronics, aerospace hardware, automotive systems, or telecom infrastructure.
  • Direct experience operating environmental chambers, vibration/shaker tables, and electronic thermal cycle systems.
  • Proficiency with reliability statistics and software tools (e.g., ReliaSoft, Minitab, JMP) to analyze life data using Weibull distributions and accelerated testing models.
  • Proven track record of leading cross-functional DFMEA sessions and translating failure risks into concrete hardware design modifications.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or Reliability Engineering.
  • Understanding of long-term environmental degradation, micro-cracking, and moisture absorption in RF-transparent plastics (e.g., ASA, Polycarbonate, Composites).
  • Knowledge of failure mechanisms in High-Density Interconnect (HDI) PCBs, such as thermal fatigue of solder joints, tin whiskers, or board warpage under dynamic thermal loads.
  • Familiarity with telecom and aerospace environmental standards, such as MIL-STD-810, IEC 60068, GR-487, or automotive AEC-Q100.


Base Pay Range for:
CA applicants is $197,529.00 - $276,539.55WA applicants is $197,529.00 - $276,539.55

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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