Automation Controls Engineer

Blue Origin LLC; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking an Automation Controls Engineer to design, build, and deploy automated manufacturing systems. You will own controls architectures, collaborate across teams, and support from R&D through commissioning.

This role requires hands-on PLC/HMI work, safety system design, and the ability to diagnose complex issues from first principles. The position spans design to production ramp-up, enabling scalable manufacturing across programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Controls, or related engineering field.
• Minimum 2 years of hands-on experience developing or integrating industrial controls and automation systems, including PLC and HMI programming.
• Exposure to multiple industrial automation platforms (robots, gantries, conveyors, CNC integration, etc.).
• Ability to interpret electrical and mechanical drawings, and knowledge of safety system design (functional safety)

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with applications engineers on conceptual automated manufacturing equipment and contribute controls architecture input from concept through detailed design.
• Design and support control system architectures including network topology, I/O distribution, safety systems, and communication protocols.
• Participate in industrial controls and electrical design of bespoke automation systems.
• Develop offline simulations to validate control logic, robot paths, and cycle times before hardware is available.
• Support online debugging and commissioning of PLC, HMI, and other controls programs.
• Create and maintain controls documentation packages with operation sequences and diagrams.

Skills

Industrial controls

PLC programming

HMI programming

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Mechatronics/Controls

Tools

AutoCAD Electrical

EPLAN

Plant Simulation

Job description

Application close date: Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is a spaceflight and exploration company founded on the belief that humanity's future depends on our ability to live and work in space.

About This Role

Blue Origin's Factory Automation team is part of the Advanced Manufacturing organization within Operations — serving as the in‑house automation integrator responsible for designing, building, and deploying the custom equipment and systems that enable scalable, repeatable production across Blue Origin's manufacturing business units.

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 Automation Controls Engineer who brings hands‑on experience in industrial controls design and automation systems integration.

This role spans R&D, design, build, installation, and commissioning — offering the opportunity to grow your technical depth and ownership across the full project lifecycle.

We are looking for engineers who understand the why behind the systems they build — who can reason from physics and engineering fundamentals, diagnose problems at their root, and architect sound solutions to novel challenges.

If you are the kind of engineer who reaches for first principles before reaching for a manual, this team is built for you.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with applications engineers on conceptual automated manufacturing equipment, contributing controls architecture input from concept through detailed design
• Design and support control system architectures including network topology, I/O distribution, safety systems, and communication protocols
• Participate in the industrial controls and electrical design of bespoke automation systems
• Apply engineering first principles to analyze system behavior, identify root causes, and develop technically sound solutions to novel automation challenges
• Develop offline simulations of automated systems to validate control logic, robot paths, cycle times, and system behavior prior to hardware availability
• Support and execute online debugging and commissioning of PLC, HMI, robot, and similar industrial controls programs
• Integrate auxiliary equipment, machines, and tools into unified control systems
• Work with panel fabricators and field installation teams; provide technical support during system integration and commissioning
• Support and lead factory and site acceptance testing, and contribute to the build, installation, commissioning, and start‑up of automated manufacturing systems
• Create controls documentation packages including sequence of operations, I/O lists, network diagrams, and program documentation

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Controls, or related engineering field
• Minimum 2 years of hands‑on experience developing or integrating industrial controls and automation systems, including PLC and HMI programming as core competencies
• Exposure to one or more industrial automation platforms such as robots, material handling systems (gantries, AGVs, conveyors), CNC machine integration, NDT, assembly, testing, or process tools (torque, welding, grinding, or similar) — breadth across all areas is not expected
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and review electrical and mechanical drawings
• Experience with industrial safety system design including functional safety devices, safety PLCs, and safety‑rated circuits
• 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 industrial automation and machine safety standards including IEC 61131, ANSI B11, NFPA 79, RIA R15.06, and functional safety standards (IEC 62061 / ISO 13849)
• Experience with industrial automation simulation software for offline programming or virtual commissioning, such as Plant Simulate, Process Simulate, Visual Components, KUKA.Sim, RobotStudio, or similar
• Experience with industrial machine vision systems, including configuration or application development using platforms such as Cognex
• Experience building, modifying, or troubleshooting electrical control panels
• Experience with electrical design for industrial control systems using AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, or similar electrical CAD platforms
• Demonstrated history of delivering custom automated manufacturing systems from concept through production ramp‑up
• Demonstrated ability to apply engineering fundamentals — including mechanics, electronics, and control theory — to diagnose complex system failures and develop first‑principles solutions in novel or undefined problem spaces

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.

Base Pay Range for: CO applicants is $123,714.00 - $173,199.60

Other site ranges may differ

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 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

Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)

Paid Time Off

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated workforce. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s ... please contact us at [e-mail]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.

We’re committed to building the road to space so our children can build the future. We are a mission‑driven company focused on ideas and innovation, and encourage fresh perspectives from bold voices. At Blue, our team is building the future as their unique selves. Thank you for your interest in working at Blue Origin! Blue Origin was founded with a vision to enable a future where millions of people live and work in space to benefit Earth. In order to preserve Earth, Blue Origin believes in the need to enable humanity to expand, explore, find new energy and material resources, and move industries that stress Earth into space. Blue Origin believes it has an important role in building a road to space and lowering the cost of getting there. At Blue Origin, we’re working on this today by developing fully reusable launch vehicles and systems that are safe, reliable and affordable. Every launch vehicle is designed for human spaceflight from the beginning and able to ferry payloads to space.