Mechanical GSE Engineer III – Space Solar Arrays

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

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation provided

Travel up to 20%

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to own and develop mechanical ground support equipment for large-format solar array wings. You will design fixtures, build test stands, and collaborate with manufacturing to scale production, while ensuring manufacturability and safety throughout the program.

The role requires a BS in Mechanical/Aerospace engineering, 5+ years of design experience, proficiency in Creo and Windchill, and solid GD&T knowledge.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 5+ years of relevant experience in mechanical design, with demonstrated focus on tooling, fixtures, GSE, or ground handling equipment
• Experience designing and building mechanical hardware, including hands‑on prototyping and acceptance testing
• Proven ability to own and deliver fully commissioned machines, fixtures, structures, and test equipment starting from a clean‑sheet design
• Experience working with vendors to size, specify, purchase, and commission large-scale equipment
• Proficiency in 3D CAD using Creo (or equivalent parametric modeling tool); experience managing designs in Windchill or an equivalent PDM system
• Proficiency in GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and demonstrated experience performing tolerance stackup analysis across multi‑part assemblies
• Working knowledge of structural analysis sufficient to size load‑bearing members, select fastener schemes, and verify load paths
• Working knowledge of basic data acquisition systems and sensors used in mechanical test setups
• Experience with standard manufacturing processes including machining, sheet metal fabrication, extrusion‑based construction, and additive manufacturing
• Experience writing manufacturing specifications and working with machine shops or outside vendors to close on fabrication
• Desire and drive to learn new skills and technical tools as the program develops
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, fabricate, and verify the full suite of mechanical ground support equipment (GSE) for large-format solar array wings, from prototype assembly through engineering build and into qualification test
• Design and develop breakover and repositioning fixtures that allow solar wings to be rotated and handled during ground integration, ensuring load paths do not damage fragile photovoltaic assemblies or their substrates
• Design, build, and validate electro‑mechanical test stands for testing spacecraft mechanism performance using force gauges, temperature sensors, motors, limit switches, and microcontrollers
• Design and conduct experiments to quantify test stand and GSE performance and inform flight hardware testing procedures
• Work with manufacturing and operations engineers to build early‑stage assembly machinery and jigs with design elements that can translate to higher production rates
• Design and release a broad family of wing assembly fixtures including integration stands, alignment fixtures, drill jigs, harness routing guides, connector support brackets, and panel‑level handling aids
• Apply strong Design for Manufacturability (DFM) intuition; write clear manufacturing specifications and work with in‑house machinists and outside vendors to close on fabrication
• Communicate lessons learned from GSE integration to the design team with recommended design changes to improve solar array manufacturability and handling
• Lead design and analysis of gravity off‑load systems, including dynamic load analysis, cable or counterbalance system design, and deployment simulation to accurately compensate for the distributed weight of solar array assemblies throughout the full kinematic range of motion
• Validate off‑load accuracy through a combination of rigid‑body kinematic analysis and instrumented checkout, selecting from constant‑force springs, air bearings, overhead cable systems, or hybrid approaches as the design requires
• Support miscellaneous GSE needs as programs mature: Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) test fixture design, transportation and shipping containers for fragile panel assemblies, vibration test interface plates, and deployment restraint fixtures for pre‑launch handling
• Generate component drawings, assembly drawings, and interface control documents with application of GD& T per ASME Y14.5; perform tolerance stackup analysis to verify interface compatibility with flight hardware
• Perform structural analysis sufficient to size load‑bearing members, select appropriate fastener schemes, and verify structural load paths
• Collaborate in a fast‑paced cross‑disciplinary R&D environment with manufacturing engineers, mechanisms designers, test engineers, and technicians to ensure GSE is integrated, safe, and ready when the program needs it
• Coach, mentor, and technically assist junior mechanical engineers

Skills

5+ years mechanical design

Creo CAD

GD&T

Vendors coordination

Structural analysis

DFM

Team mentoring

U.S. citizenship or eligibility

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Creo

Windchill

Job description

Blue Origin is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to own and develop mechanical ground support equipment for large-format solar array wings. You will design fixtures, build test stands, and collaborate with manufacturing to scale production, while ensuring manufacturability and safety throughout the program.

The role requires a BS in Mechanical/Aerospace engineering, 5+ years of design experience, proficiency in Creo and Windchill, and solid GD&T knowledge.