Mechanisms and Structures Component Test Manager - Lunar Permanence

Blue Origin; Washington; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Manager for Lunar Mechanisms and Structures Component Test within the Lunar Permanence unit. You will lead a team responsible for development, qualification, and acceptance testing of components for Blue Moon landers, partnering with Design Responsible Engineers, Quality, and Operations to deliver integrated test solutions.

As an engineering leader, you will drive rigorous testing across the full component lifecycle, balance development and production needs, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• 6+ years of hands-on experience in the development, qualification, or acceptance test of electromechanical systems, thermal systems, or fluid systems.
• Demonstrated ability to personally perform troubleshooting and causal analysis on component and system-level faults and help drive corrective action back into engineering products.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and hands-on support for the development, qualification, and acceptance testing of components.
• Guide the team in developing test plans, procedures, and requirements that meet both developmental and production objectives.
• Review and approve critical technical outputs including test plans, procedures, and verification reports.
• Coordinate with internal customers to plan, schedule, and allocate resources for test campaigns.
• Fully understand, scope, assign, and track technical work to ensure every team member has a full, prioritized workload and that project milestones are delivered on time.
• Identify, document, and mitigate technical and programmatic risks; communicate risks and recommended mitigations to program and business leadership when escalation is required.
• Establish and maintain team metrics and project tracking frameworks to monitor execution health and inform data-driven decisions.
• Oversee the full employee lifecycle for a team of Component Test Engineers, including talent acquisition, onboarding, development planning, coaching, and performance management.
• Manage direct reports' professional development and coach them on maximizing performance.
• Drive a culture of Safety, ensuring that personnel and visitors are properly trained and have the appropriate tools and equipment to operate safely.
• Ensure staff are properly trained, including participating in the Blue Origin safety culture.
• Coordinate and integrate with similar functional teams across the company including Design Responsible Engineers, Operations/Production, Quality, and contract manufacturers.
• Build relationships with external stakeholders in the domain area for benchmarking, recruiting pipeline, and collaboration purposes.
• Exemplify high standards of conduct for team members.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline

Job description

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 Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin's Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

Manager - AERS Engineering & Systems

This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin's Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

This opportunity resides within the Lunar Core Components Test team. As a Manager of Lunar Mechanisms and Structures Component Test you will grow and lead a team of Component Test Engineers responsible for the development, qualification, and acceptance test planning and execution of components for Blue Moon landers. You will partner closely with Design Responsible Engineers, Quality, Operations/Production, and other functional teams to deliver integrated test solutions across the full component lifecycle-from early development through qualification and production acceptance.

You are an engineering leader, systems‑thinker, and recognized problem solver who understands that rigorous, well‑executed component testing is foundational to mission success. There is no "standard day" in this role: your team may be executing an acceptance test on flight hardware in the morning and developing a qualification test plan for a new component in the afternoon. Every program and test campaign presents exciting new challenges to be overcome.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical leadership and hands‑on support for the development, qualification, and acceptance testing of components.
• Guide the team in developing test plans, procedures, and requirements that meet both developmental and production objectives.
• Review and approve critical technical outputs including test plans, procedures, and verification reports.

Program Execution

• Coordinate with internal customers to plan, schedule, and allocate resources for test campaigns.
• Fully understand, scope, assign, and track technical work to ensure every team member has a full, prioritized workload and that project milestones are delivered on time.
• Identify, document, and mitigate technical and programmatic risks; communicate risks and recommended mitigations to program and business leadership when escalation is required.
• Establish and maintain team metrics and project tracking frameworks to monitor execution health and inform data‑driven decisions.

Organizational Leadership

• Oversee the full employee lifecycle for a team of Component Test Engineers, including talent acquisition, onboarding, development planning, coaching, and performance management.
• Manage direct reports' professional development and coach them on maximizing performance.
• Drive a culture of Safety, ensuring that personnel and visitors are properly trained and have the appropriate tools and equipment to operate safely.
• Ensure staff are properly trained, including participating in the Blue Origin safety culture.
• Coordinate and integrate with similar functional teams and expertise across the company‑including Design Responsible Engineers, Operations/Production, Quality, and contract manufacturers.
• Build relationships with external stakeholders in the domain area for benchmarking, recruiting pipeline, and collaboration purposes.
• Exemplify high standards of conduct for team members.

Minimum Qualifications

• Passion for our mission: Millions of people living and working in space!
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• 6+ years of hands‑on experience in the development, qualification, or acceptance test of electromechanical systems, thermal systems, or fluid systems.
• Demonstrated ability to personally perform troubleshooting and causal analysis on component and system‑level faults and help drive corrective action back into engineering products.
• Proven ability to bu