Blue Origin

Sr. Quality Program Manager

Blue Origin • $145K — $203K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Quality, or a related technical discipline
  • 8+ years of experience in aerospace or other high-reliability environments; 3+ years in quality engineering
  • Experience leading Quality for complex hardware programs across multiple functions/sites
  • Familiarity with AS9100 or ISO9000 Quality Management Systems
  • Well-versed in AI tools/applications for quality improvement
  • Knowledge of APQP, FAI/PPAP, RCCA, and Quality metrics.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the primary Quality liaison for program leadership and functional/site Quality organizations.
  • Develop and implement the Program Quality Plan throughout the product lifecycle.
  • Present Quality metrics and readiness to program leadership.
  • Identify opportunities for quality process improvement using AI/analytics tools.
  • Lead program-level risk management and resolution of systemic Quality issues.
  • Establish Program Quality readiness criteria at key project milestones.
  • Support manufacturing readiness, including corrective action and nonconformance management.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
  • Paid parental leave and short/long-term disability
  • 401(k) with company matching
  • Stock options for regular employees
  • Up to four weeks of paid time off and 14 paid holidays
  • Education Support Program
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 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.

The Quality Program Management Team is dedicated to ensuring quality requirements are met for each program within Blue Origin. The team works as a conduit of information from the program back to the site quality organizations.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

This role is part of the Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance team, which focuses on monitoring and assessing processes that guide Blue Origin design, manufacture, and operations, ensuring system safety engineering, environmental health and safety, product integrity, and continuous improvement processes serve the Blue Origin Mission and Vision. 

Primary Responsibilities

Program Quality Leadership

  • Serve as the primary Quality focal point for program leadership and conduit between the program and functional/site Quality organizations.

  • Develop, maintain, and execute the Program Quality Plan and Quality strategy across the product lifecycle.

  • Present Quality status, metrics, risks, resource needs, and readiness to program and Quality leadership.

  • Find opportunities for continuous improvement of quality processes and requirements, including the use of AI/analytics tools to support data trending and decision-making.

  • Lead and support program-level risk boards, material review activities, corrective action boards, and resolution of systemic Quality issues.

Quality Strategy & Planning

  • Establish and monitor Program Quality readiness criteria, risks, actions, and required artifacts at major development and production milestones.

  • Provide program-level governance of APQP, ensuring the appropriate functions execute required product and process quality-planning activities.

  • Develop and maintain the Program Quality staffing, capacity, inspection, equipment, and infrastructure strategy aligned with development builds and planned production-rate increases.

Manufacturing & Production Readiness

  • Support manufacturing and production readiness, including process capability, inspection strategy, PFMEA/control planning, nonconformance management, corrective action, and rate-readiness activities through the responsible functional teams.

  • Partner with Engineering and Product Quality to ensure design risks and Quality outputs are transitioned into supplier, manufacturing, inspection, and production-readiness activities.

Supplier Quality Integration

  • Coordinate Quality input to supplier strategy, sourcing, supplier readiness, FAI/PPAP requirements, and supplier performance in partnership with Supplier Quality.

Cross-Functional Integration

  • Integrate Design/Product Quality, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Quality, AI&T/Test Quality, receiving inspection, and production inspection activities to support program objectives.

  • Drive cross-functional problem solving and accountability across a multi-function, multi-site program.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Quality, or a related technical discipline

  • 8+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or other complex high-reliability hardware environmentswith at least 3 years in a quality engineering role

  • Experience leading or integrating Quality for a complex hardware program across multiple functions and/or sites

  • Experience supporting new product introduction and transitioning hardware from development through qualification and production

  • Familiarity with AS9100 or ISO9000 Quality Management System and/or related quality systems and programs

  • Well-versed in AI tools/applications for quality and process improvement, or demonstrated ability to quickly learn and apply them

  • Working knowledge of APQP, FAI/PPAP, nonconformance/MRB, RCCA, and Quality metrics.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Direct experience supporting high-rate or high-volume spacecraft production.

  • Experience transitioning a spacecraft program from development and qualification into serial production.

  • Experience with spacecraft assembly, integration, and test (AI&T).

  • Experience establishing or scaling Quality infrastructure to support significant production-rate increases.

  • Experience with distributed supply chains and significant procured hardware content.

  • Experience with AS9145, APQP, and PPAP.

  • Familiarity with AS9100 or equivalent aerospace Quality Management System.

  • Experience with automated manufacturing and/or inspection environments.

  • American Society of Quality, Certified Quality Engineer certification


Base Pay Range for:

WA applicants is $145,188.00 - $203,263.20

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.


Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.


Background Check

  • Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check
  • Required for Certain Job Profiles:  Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
  • Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
  • Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

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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