Payload Integration Engineer III

Blue Origin; Merritt Island (FL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Stock options

Job summary

Blue Origin in Merritt Island, FL seeks an Orbital Launch Site focal point for spacecraft processing during launch campaigns. You will support mission analysis, design, and operations, generate mission-unique planning documents, and coordinate with Mission Management, engineering teams, and customers.

The role leads a small team in cleanroom environments, participates in payload processing, and ensures adherence to safety and ITAR requirements; travel and overtime may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field as required.
• 6+ years in large spacecraft integration and payload integration requirements.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, customer relation and presentation skills.
• Ability to earn trust and maintain positive professional relationships.
• U.S. citizenship or eligible status (citizenship/residency requirements).
• Current TS/SCI with Poly or able to obtain SSBI clearance.
• Willingness to travel to Blue Origin offices, launch sites and customer facilities.
• Physical capability to lift 35 lbs, climb, bend, sit, stand for long periods and operate equipment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as launch site focal point for spacecraft interface requirements evaluation and edits.
• Support proposal generation for primary/secondary payloads.
• Assess payload interface requirements and impacts on launch site.
• Contribute to validation planning for payloads.
• Coordinate launch system upgrades for various spacecraft types, including crewed systems.
• Partner with Mission Management to generate proposals and verification plans.
• Act as primary contact for spacecraft processing during launch campaigns.
• Manage/coordinate spacecraft daily processing schedule inputs.
• Participate in launch countdowns and post-flight reviews.
• Host spacecraft customer visits and technical interchange meetings.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written comms

Interpersonal skills

Customer relations

Presentation skills

Trust-building

Travel flexibility

Safety culture awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, physics, aerospace engineering

Job description

Application Close Date

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

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 supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable.

As part of a small, passionate and accomplished team of experts, you will be the Orbital Launch Site point of contact for spacecraft customers and manufacturers during launch campaigns for New Glenn. You will be responsible for supporting mission analysis, design, and spacecraft launch operations. You will be responsible for generating mission-unique documentation required for planning, approvals, processing, and post-flight reports. The position will involve coordination with Mission Management, Marketing, Customer Experience, design engineers, systems engineers, and other disciplines during the mission proposal as well as integration phase. You will also be responsible for coordinating requirements with all disciplines on the launch site operations team. Other responsibilities will initially include processing flight hardware, performing spacecraft mate and encapsulation, transport, mate to the launch vehicle, and integrated testing.

Responsibilities

• Function as launch site focal point for spacecraft interface requirements (IRD, ICD, etc.) evaluation and proposing edits to the Mission Integrator and Mission Manager.
• Participate in generating or evaluating proposals for primary, secondary, co-manifested, or rideshare payloads
• Perform thorough technical assessments of proposed internal and external payload interface requirements to understand the impacts to the launch site
• Evaluate or contribute to validation planning for payloads
• Capture and implement launch system upgrades/changes to support mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, thermal and shock environments, contamination and communication requirements for a broad variety of spacecraft types including crewed systems
• Work directly with Mission Management leadership to generate proposals and requirement verification planning for primary and secondary payloads (co-manifested, or rideshare payloads) while working with launch vehicle engineering for implementation
• Act as primary point of contact for all spacecraft processing activities throughout the launch campaign, including administrative and support services to the customer at the Payload Process (PPF) and launch facilities
• Manage/coordinate spacecraft daily processing schedule inputs to the mission integration and daily operations schedules
• Participate in launch countdown, monitoring various interface airborne and ground systems supporting the spacecraft, and post-flight reviews
• Coordinate and host spacecraft customer launch site visits and technical interchange meetings, and act as the Launch Operations technical representative during mission integration design meetings
• Lead a small group of highly skilled technicians to perform payload processing activities in 100K (ISO-8) class or higher cleanroom
• Assist with hands-on assembly, integration, and testing of payload accommodations flight hardware including mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and pneumatic equipment

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, physics, aerospace engineering or another related engineering discipline
• 6+ years of direct/specialized experience in large spacecraft integration and/or the development of payload integration requirements including launch campaigns
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, customer relation, and presentation skills are required
• Ability to earn trust and maintain positive professional relationships
• 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
• Current TS/SCI with Poly clearance or ability to successfully complete a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI)
• Must be able to travel to other Blue Origin offices, alternate launch site, and customer facilities
• Position requires: lifting (35-lbs), climbing, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, and carrying, and standing for extended periods (8 hours minimum)
• Must be able become certified to operate equipment such as aerial lifts, forklifts, and overhead cranes
• Must be able to work all shifts and available for overtime as well as weekends, when needed to support test or launch campaign timelines

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with developing and executing launch operations procedures
• Experience with payload operations, integration, payload fairings, adapters, payload separation systems, match mates (fit-checks), and launch countdown activities
• Familiarity with industry and USG safety requirements including AFMAN 91-710
• Experience planning and conducting spacecraft launch preparations
• Experience with project management / scheduling experience (MS Project, Primavera P6)
• Knowledge of current systems engineering and integration tools and methodologies
• Experience with systems engineering tools such as DOORS Next Gen
• Experience with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)

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’s affirmative 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.