Manager, System Prototyping Rapid Development

Blue Origin; Merritt Island (FL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match up to 5%

Paid Time Off and holidays

Education Support Program

Stock Options

Job summary

Blue Origin in Merritt Island, FL seeks an experienced people manager to lead a small prototyping operations team on the shop floor. You will balance operational leadership with relationship-building with internal engineering customers to translate requirements into actionable work.

The role emphasizes hands-on fabrication, prototyping discipline training, and maintaining a safe, collaborative shop culture while driving on-time delivery and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on fabrication, manufacturing, or prototyping experience.
• 2+ years of direct people management or team lead experience.
• Experience in mechanical prototyping, composite fabrication, or soft goods manufacturing.
• Strong organizational and workload management skills.
• Excellent communication skills interfacing with shop floor technicians and engineering stakeholders.
• Experience with material/tooling procurement and vendor coordination.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of technicians on day-to-day prototyping operations and manage 9 technicians based on demand.
• Conduct yearly performance reviews and ongoing coaching.
• Support team development, training, and skill-building in prototyping disciplines.
• Foster a safe, collaborative, and high-performing shop culture.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal engineering customers and translate requirements into actionable work.
• Provide status updates, manage expectations, and resolve schedule or technical conflicts.
• Coordinate material and tooling procurement and maintain shop readiness and inventory.

Skills

Hands-on fabrication

People management

Mechanical prototyping

Composite fabrication

Soft goods manufacturing

Organization & planning

Communication skills

Procurement & vendor coordination

Job description

Application Close Date

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

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.

Team Overview

The System Prototyping team is a hands-on fabrication and development group responsible for building mechanical prototypes, composite structures, and soft goods in support of early-stage design and program development. The team partners closely with internal engineering customers to translate concepts into physical hardware quickly and with high quality.

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced people manager to lead a small team of technicians in day-to-day prototyping operations. This role is both operational and relational — the right candidate will be equally comfortable managing workflow on the shop floor, communicating with internal customers, and handling the administrative responsibilities of running a skilled fabrication team.

Key Responsibilities

Team Management

• Assign and prioritize daily/weekly work across 9 technicians based on customer demand and team capacity


• Conduct yearly performance reviews and ongoing feedback/coaching


• Support team development, training, and skill-building in prototyping disciplines


• Foster a safe, collaborative, and high-performing shop culture

Customer Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal engineering customers


• Translating customer requirements into actionable work assignments


• Provide status updates, manage expectations, and elevate schedule or technical conflicts as needed


• Collaborate with customers to scope new prototyping requests and define deliverables

Operations & Logistics

• Manage material and tooling procurement to support active and upcoming builds


• Maintain shop readiness including inventory, equipment availability, and consumables


• Track and manage budget associated with materials and tooling purchases


• Identify and resolve day-to-day operational blockers

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a hands-on fabrication, manufacturing, or prototyping environment


• 2+ years of direct people management or team lead experience


• Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following: mechanical prototyping, composite fabrication, soft goods manufacturing


• Strong organizational and workload management skills


• Excellent communication skills — ability to interface effectively with both shop floor technicians and engineering stakeholders


• Experience with material/tooling procurement and vendor coordination

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing in an aerospace, defense, or R&D prototyping environment


• Familiarity with composites processing (layup, cure, finishing) and/or soft goods techniques (pattern making, sewing, assembly)


• Experience using shop management or work order tracking tools


• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a related technical field (or equivalent experience)

Work Environment

• This is a fully on-site role requiring regular presence on the shop floor


• May require occasional support outside of standard hours to meet program milestones

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.

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 work force. 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.

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Fair Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, 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.