Blue Origin

Sr. Automation Project Engineer

Blue Origin$181K — $254K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls, Mechatronics, or related field
  • 5+ years of hands-on experience in automated manufacturing systems design and commissioning
  • At least 2 years in a project management or technical lead role in automation projects
  • Hands-on experience in industrial automation, including mechanical design and controls engineering
  • Proficient in automation simulation and cycle time analysis tools, such as Process Simulate or FlexSim
  • U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S.

Responsibilities

  • Engage with internal customers to document and validate automation system requirements
  • Develop simulations and cycle time models to optimize automation strategies
  • Create conceptual solutions for automated manufacturing equipment
  • Lead Design for Automated Manufacturing initiatives with product design teams
  • Prepare cost estimates and project schedules for automation solutions
  • Own project execution from requirements to commissioning
  • Maintain oversight of technical project details and accountability

Benefits

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

As a member of the Blue Origin family of companies, Honeybee Robotics has been at the forefront of robotics for over 40 years. Our Colorado location specializes in creating advanced motion control solutions for NASA, defense, and commercial programs. Our work has played a critical role in thousands of projects, spanning from conceptual design studies to flight missions, including NASA's Artemis I Mission and the Roman Space Telescope. We are seeking technically brilliant individuals who are passionate about their work, thrive in collaborative environments, and have a laser focus on the details that drive excellence.

About This Role

Honeybee Robotics, a member of the Blue Origin family of companies, has been at the forefront of robotics for over 40 years. Our Colorado-based Motion Control Business Unit designs, manufactures, and tests high-performance motion control components and integrated solutions - from actuators and gearboxes to motors and precision control systems - for NASA, defense, and commercial programs, including NASA's Artemis I Mission and the Roman Space Telescope.

This role resides within the Honeybee Robotics Motion Control Business Unit, supporting Blue Origin's Factory Automation team - the in-house automation integrator within Advanced Manufacturing responsible for designing, building, and deploying custom equipment and systems that enable scalable, repeatable production. We build manufacturing capability from the ground up, developing automated solutions that directly drive the delivery of Blue Origin's products across current and future programs.

We are looking for an experienced Project Engineer who brings a foundation of hands-on technical experience in mechanical and/or controls engineering for industrial automation - coupled with the leadership experience to drive complex projects from requirements through delivered, production-ready systems. This is not a conceptual or R&D role: the right candidate has demonstrated experience delivering automated manufacturing systems that run in production. We are looking for engineers who understand the why behind the systems they build - who reason from first principles, challenge requirements that complicate scalable automation, and advocate for designs that enable repeatable, efficient manufacturing. A passion for our mission - and for the discipline of building systems that work - is essential.

Responsibilities

  • Engage internal customers to define, document, and validate system requirements for automated manufacturing solutions


  • Develop conceptual simulations and cycle time models of individual machines and production lines to evaluate and recommend optimal automation strategies and production line architectures


  • Develop initial conceptual solutions for automated manufacturing equipment; present solutions and justifications to customer stakeholders and refine approaches based on feedback


  • Lead Design for Automated Manufacturing initiatives with product design teams; recommend product modifications to improve automated manufacturability and reduce system complexity


  • Prepare cost estimates, labor-hour projections, and project schedules for proposed automation solutions; develop scope of work documents for individual machinery for delivery to internal customers


  • Own project execution from requirements definition through commissioning, maintaining schedule, budget, and scope alignment throughout the project lifecycle


  • Maintain comprehensive technical knowledge of assigned projects; serve as the primary point of accountability for system requirements, design decisions, and project status


  • Identify and evaluate automation component suppliers, support procurement and sourcing decisions


  • Collaborate with engineering teams during detailed design; provide technical clarification and maintain alignment with conceptual intent


Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls, Mechatronics, or related engineering field


  • Minimum 5 years of hands-on technical experience in the design, build, and commissioning of automated manufacturing systems, including minimum 2 years in a project management, technical lead, or equivalent leadership role on capital equipment or automation projects


  • Hands-on technical experience in industrial automation - including mechanical design, controls engineering, or both - sufficient to lead engineering teams, evaluate technical feasibility, and make informed design decisions without relying solely on analysis or simulation


  • Experience with automation simulation and cycle time analysis using tools such as Process Simulate, Visual Components, FlexSim, or similar


  • 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

  • Familiarity with PLC, CNC, and robot programming concepts and limitations sufficient to evaluate technical feasibility and communicate effectively with controls engineers


  • Experience with varied industrial automation applications including welding, machining, drilling, surface finishing, forming, material handling, NDT, metrology, machine vision, and similar


  • PMP certification or formal project management training


  • Experience developing capital project budgets and cost models for automation systems, including vendor quote analysis and should-cost modeling


  • Experience developing scope of work documents, RFQs, or technical specifications for procurement of automation sub-systems, components, devices, and equipment from external suppliers in support of internally developed and integrated automation solutions


  • Demonstrated ability to apply engineering first principles - including mechanics, control theory, and systems thinking - to evaluate automation feasibility, identify root causes, and develop technically sound solutions to novel manufacturing challenges


Don't have all the listed qualifications? Blue Origin is committed to building a mixed team. If you meet the basic qualifications and are excited about this role, we encourage you to apply.

Base Pay Range for:
CO applicants is $181,626.00 - $254,275.35

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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