Blue Origin

Technical Manager-Mechanical Engineering

Blue Origin$120K — $150K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or a related field.
  • 10+ years in mechanical engineering, focusing on large-scale systems or GSE.
  • 4+ years in direct management or team lead roles with a focus on performance management.
  • Proven track record of leading engineering programs from concept through to commissioning.
  • Proficiency in GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the technical authority for mechanical design challenges.
  • Establish mechanical design standards and best practices for the team.
  • Review critical design packages and ensure compliance with codes and standards.
  • Manage a team of Mechanical Engineers focused on large mechanisms and GSE.
  • Conduct performance reviews and foster career development for team members.
  • Own deliverables across multiple design programs, managing scope, schedule, and budget.
  • Interface with other departments to align priorities for operational support.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
  • 401(k) plan with a company match of up to 5%.
  • Stock options available for regular employees working 20+ hours/week.
  • Paid Time Off of up to four weeks annually plus 14 paid holidays.
  • Education Support Program available to employees.
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.

Technical Manager-Mechanical Engineering

As Technical Manager of the Large Mechanisms team, you will lead a high-performing group of mechanical engineers designing, developing, and delivering the ground mechanical systems and GSE (Ground Support Equipment) that support Blue Origin's launch operations at LC-36 (Cape Canaveral, FL). You will balance hands-on technical leadership with people management, setting the technical direction for the team, developing your engineers, driving execution, and serving as the primary interface between your team and program leadership.

This is a technical management role and is not a purely administrative management position. You will be expected to maintain meaningful technical engagement with the work your team produces, provide engineering judgment on critical design decisions, and be a credible technical voice with stakeholders across the program.

Responsibilities:
  • Technical Leadership
    • Serve as technical authority for the large mechanisms team, provide engineering guidance and judgment on complex design challenges.
    • Establish and maintain mechanical design standards, analysis methods, and best practices for the team.
    • Review and approve critical design packages, FEA analyses, tolerance stack-up analyses, and engineering drawings.
    • Drive design reviews at key project milestones; ensure all team deliverables comply with applicable codes, standards, and specifications.


  • People Leadership
    • Directly manage a team of Mechanical Engineers supporting large mechanisms and GSE design.
    • Recruit, hire, and onboard engineering talent, actively build and maintain a strong team pipeline.
    • Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and career development conversations, identify skill gaps and develop targeted growth plans for all direct reports.
    • Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and safety-first team culture consistent with Blue Origin's values.


  • Program Execution & Cross-Functional Leadership
    • Own team deliverables, manage scope, schedule, budget, and technical quality across multiple concurrent mechanism design programs, identify and communicate risks early and drive mitigation plans.
    • Oversee external design and fabrication partners, ensure technical compliance, quality, and schedule adherence through the full project lifecycle including fabrication, assembly, installation, and testing & activation.
    • Interface with program managers, systems engineers, operations leads to align on priorities and ensure designs are operationally supportable and launch-site safe.
    • Represent the large mechanisms team in program-level reviews, technical interchange meetings, and leadership forums, contribute to budget, headcount planning, and resource allocation in coordination with senior leadership.


Minimum Qualifications (required):
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or closely related discipline.
  • 10+ years of professional mechanical engineering experience with significant focus on large-scale mechanical systems, mechanisms, or GSE.
  • 4+ years of direct engineering management or team lead experience, including performance management and career development of direct reports.
  • Demonstrated experience leading mechanical design programs from concept through commissioning and operations.
  • Experience with ASME Y14.5 Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up analysis.
  • Experience designing and analyzing bolted connections, mechanical interfaces, and load-bearing joints in precision mechanical assemblies.
  • Experience with heavy-duty mechanism types including locking mechanisms, linkage systems, quick release systems, and alignment mechanisms.
  • Experience analyzing mechanical systems under dynamic loading conditions including vibration, shock, and fatigue.
  • Experience managing external design and fabrication partners through complete project lifecycles.
  • Proficiency in 3D parametric CAD modeling and PDM/PLM platforms (PTC Creo/Windchill or equivalent).
  • Proficiency in commercial FEA software for mechanical, structural, and dynamic analysis (ANSYS or equivalent).
  • Knowledge of engineering change and configuration management processes and document management and tracking tools.
  • 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.


Desired (not required):
  • Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or closely related field.
  • PMP certification.
  • 5+ years direct GSE design and analysis experience.
  • Experience building or scaling engineering teams in a fast-paced aerospace or industrial environment.
  • Professional Engineer (PE) license (Mechanical).
  • Experience with ANSYS.
  • Experience with PTC Creo/Windchill.


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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