MK1 Verification & Validation Lead

Blue Origin LLC; Washington; On-site; USD 145,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Stock options

Education Support Program

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC seeks a Verification and Validation Lead for the lunar lander program. You will own V&V strategy, flight readiness, and certification across concurrent vehicle development efforts, guiding verification plans and evidence closure to ensure mission success. The role requires a strong background in spacecraft systems, verification lifecycles, and cross-functional leadership.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible under applicable regulations.

Qualifications

• B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field.
• 8+ years of Systems Engineering experience with verification, validation, integration, and certification.
• Experience as a V&V lead or senior V&V engineer on a spacecraft program.

Responsibilities

• Serve as accountable owner for V&V strategy, planning, and execution across lunar lander efforts.
• Own validation approach, including Model Validation Plans and Processes, Test Bed and Emulator Validation.
• Accountable for requirements verification and verification evidence from system to component level.
• Own verification and validation processes, tools, metrics, data management, and verification evidence closure.

Education

B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field

Tools

Model Validation Plans

Test Beds & Emulators

Requirements Management Platforms

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. As part of a hardworking team of engineers and designers, you will serve as the Verification and Validation Lead for the lunar lander program, with accountability spanning multiple concurrent vehicle development efforts. You will be the accountable owner for V&V strategy, flight readiness, and certification across the program, responsible for V&V approach and execution. Your passion, expertise, and leadership will be central to the integration, verification, and validation of the vehicles and to mission success.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Serve as the accountable owner for V&V strategy, planning, and execution across multiple concurrent lunar lander vehicle development efforts
• Own and maintain the program's Validation approach, including Model Validation Plans and Processes, Test Bed and Emulator Validation
• Accountable for requirements verification and associated verification evidence, from system level down to component level
• Own verification and validation processes, tools, metrics, and data management and approve verification plans and verification evidence closure
• Own the program's Flight Readiness and Certification planning, including owning the Flight Readiness Plan and Checklist, Test Like You Fly Process and Database, and the Issue Reporting Processes
• Serve as scope owner for all vehicle-level tests, owning or approving test scope decisions and managing the integrated vehicle test flow across Systems Engineering, I&T, and IPT teams
• Own and manage the Incompressible Test List, ensuring alignment with mission requirements and program schedule
• Develop and drive common V&V processes, tools, and lessons learned across missions to improve efficiency and reduce redundancy
• Coordinate V&V work products across Systems Engineering, IPT teams, and customer stakeholders
• Represent V&V as a technical lead in program reviews and serve as a customer POC for V&V
• Utilize sound engineering and business judgment to make effective V&V scope, schedule, and risk prioritization decisions

Minimum Qualifications

• Passion for our mission: Millions of people living and working in space!
• B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field
• 8+ years of Systems Engineering experience, with significant focus on verification, validation, integration, and certification of complex systems
• Demonstrated experience as a V&V lead or senior V&V engineer on a spacecraft program
• Deep knowledge of spacecraft systems design, traceability, and the full V&V lifecycle
• Proven ability to own and manage verification and validation programs at the vehicle level, including planning, tracking, metrics, and schedule accountability
• Experience developing and executing validation strategies, including model and emulator validation
• Ability to develop V&V strategies across concurrent development efforts, balancing scope, schedule, and technical risk
• Strong engineering and business judgment to make effective scope and prioritization decisions
• Ability to lead, influence, and coordinate across large, multidisciplinary teams without direct reporting authority
• 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

• Experience with Flight Readiness Reviews (FRR) and formal certification milestone processes
• Experience managing incompressible test lists and integrated vehicle-level test scope decisions
• Familiarity with issue reporting and anomaly resolution processes in a flight program context
• Experience with V&V tracking tools and requirements management platforms
• Experience with certification of models and simulations for use in verification and validation
• Prior experience supporting or leading multiple concurrent vehicle builds or block upgrades
• Experience in lunar or deep space spacecraft programs

Base Pay Range for:

CO applicants is $133,500.00 - $186,898.95 WA applicants is $145,188.00 - $203,263.20 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

• 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.

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’s Affirmitive 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.

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