Mechanical Design Engineer III, High-Speed Rotating Systems

Blue Origin LLC; Washington; On-site; USD 121,000 - 169,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to join the Engines team. The role focuses on achieving rotational performance at unprecedented scales, involving hands-on design, build, test, and rapid iteration to deliver hardware.

You will own rotor assembly design, develop thermal solutions, and collaborate with manufacturing to meet aggressive schedules while maintaining structural integrity. A BS in Mechanical Engineering and 3+ years in rotating machinery design are required.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or closely related field.
• 3+ years of experience in mechanical design of rotating machinery.
• Understanding rotor structural mechanics, including centrifugal loading and fit/preload for thermally sensitive components.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD and drawing/GD&T per ASME Y14.5.
• Experience authoring hardware test plans and hands-on testing.
• Experience with design for manufacturing and design to cost.
• Comfortable with fast iteration: design to 80%, build, learn from data, and update.

Responsibilities

• Own detailed mechanical design of a high-speed rotor assembly with structural members and thermal management.
• Develop and iterate thermal management solutions.
• Translate rotor loads into design requirements and geometry constraints.
• Author drawings, GD&T, assembly procedures, and acceptance criteria.
• Define and execute component- and system-level test plans and participate in tests.

Skills

Rotating machinery design

Rotor structural mechanics

Hands-on testing

Fast iteration mindset

Design for manufacturing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CREO

NX

CATIA

SolidWorks

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 the Blue Origin Engines business unit, where our focus is the design, development, manufacturing, and testing of engines and propulsion systems. Built for multiple uses, our family of engines is powering the next generation of rockets for commercial, civil, national security, and human spaceflight. Who We Are At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We're working to do that by making access to space cheaper and more reliable through reusable launch vehicles. Join our team of problem solvers as we add our next generation of launch vehicles and in-space systems to our fleet.

The Role

We are seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to join our team. The core challenge is achieving rotational performance at a scale and speed that has not been demonstrated before. This is a hands‑on detailed design role built for someone who thrives in rapid development cycles. You will design, build, test, learn, and redesign — repeat. Success is measured by hardware on the test stand and data in hand, not by documents alone.

Responsibilities

• Own detailed mechanical design of a high-speed rotor assembly including structural members, retention features, balance provisions, and thermal management.
• Develop and iterate thermal management solutions
• Understand thermal and structural loads on the rotor; translate those into design requirements and geometry constraints
• Author drawings, GD&T, assembly procedures, and acceptance criteria with sufficient rigor to build and test hardware quickly
• Define and execute component- and system-level test plans; be present for test operations, teardowns, and inspection
• Drive rapid design-build-test cycles — identify failure modes early, propose trades, and execute changes fast
• Coordinate with manufacturing and supply chain to produce hardware on aggressive schedules and rates without sacrificing structural or thermal integrity
• Participate in failure investigations and contribute to root cause analysis and corrective action

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or closely related field
• 3+ years of experience in mechanical design of rotating machinery
• Demonstrated understanding of rotor structural mechanics, including centrifugal loading, retention design, and fit/preload strategies for components with thermal sensitivity
• Proficiency with 3D CAD (CREO, NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, or equivalent) and drawing/GD&T per ASME Y14.5
• Experience authoring and executing hardware test plans and participating hands‑on in test operations
• Experience with design for manufacturing and design to cost
• Comfortable with fast iteration: designing to 80%, building hardware, learning from data, and rapidly incorporating findings
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing integrated cooling features within rotating assemblies — internal flow passages, thermal interfaces, or conduction paths under rotation
• Familiarity with high and low-cycle fatigue and fracture mechanics for rotating components operating at high peripheral velocities
• Experience with composite or advanced alloy materials in high‑stress rotating environments
• Background in rapid hardware development programs with short design‑build‑test cycles and frequent design updates
• Rotordynamics experience — critical speed analysis, unbalance response, bearing load estimation

Base Pay Range for:

WA applicants is $121,023.00 - $169,432.20. 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.

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.affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’sAffirmative 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.

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 are living and working 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.

U.S. Applicant Privacy Notice EU Applicant Privacy Notice