Propulsion Test Engineer III - Lunar Permanence

Blue Origin; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 111,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Education support program

Stock options

Job summary

Blue Origin seeks a Fluids & Propulsion Test Engineer to lead engine testing for the MK2 Alpha Lander. You will own main engine testing, GSE activation, and subsystem testing, directing test teams and technicians through setup, checkout and teardown.

You will develop test methods, manage equipment, and coordinate campaigns while ensuring safety and data integrity across cryogenic and propulsion facilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, chemical, or related engineering fields.
• 8+ years experience with propulsion testing.
• Experience developing, writing, and executing test procedures.
• Willingness to meet tight deadlines and be ambitious.
• Experience reading P&ID schematics/layout designs.
• Experience developing fluids systems installation and checkout procedures.
• Understand fundamentals of pressure, flow, and temperature instrumentation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute test procedures of facility sub-systems to satisfy program objectives.
• Design, plan, fabricate, install, and operate pneumatic and cryogenic test capabilities.
• Develop test methods to efficiently complete integrated system testing.
• Maintain fluids test equipment configuration control, calibration, and traceability.
• Write test procedures, manage procedural red lines, and incorporate updates during test campaigns.
• Oversee vendor design and fabrication of fluids test equipment and support equipment.
• Participate in gated design and Test Readiness Reviews.
• Perform facility activation tests of fluids subsystems.
• Maintain and operate pneumatic and cryogenic hardware and/or control software.
• Follow safety policies during test planning and operations.
• Troubleshoot anomalies real-time.
• Reduce, analyze, and archive test data to support verification tasks.

Skills

Propulsion testing

Test procedures

P&ID reading

Instrumentation fundamentals

LabVIEW

Python

MATLAB

Education

Bachelors in mechanical/aerospace/chemical engineering

Tools

Cryogenic test equipment

GHe systems

Data Acquisition Systems

Test equipment calibration

LabVIEW software

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 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.

We are a team of collaborators, doers, and problem-solvers who are relentlessly committed to a culture of safety. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your dedication and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable space flight. Join us in lowering the cost of access to space and enabling Blue Origin's vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth.

This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit on the MK2 Alpha Lander team. As a Fluids & Propulsion Test engineer, you will be testing the actual hardware bringing astronauts to the Moon.

You will have ownership of vehicle integrated main engine testing, ground support equipment activation, component testing, and system-level testing for a variety of systems within MK2 Alpha Lander Fluids and Propulsion. You will develop test methods, ground support equipment, and test procedures to efficiently complete integrated system testing for multiple test campaigns. You will coordinate and direct test teams and ground support equipment while supervising a small team of technicians during test setups, checkouts, and tear-downs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute test procedures of facility sub-systems to satisfy program objectives
• Design, plan, fabricate, install, and operate pneumatic and cryogenic test capabilities
• Develop test methods to efficiently complete integrated system testing
• Maintain fluids test equipment configuration control, calibration, and traceability
• Write test procedures, manage procedural red lines, and incorporate updates during test campaigns
• Oversee vendor design and fabrication of fluids test equipment and support equipment
• Participate in gated design and Test Readiness Reviews
• Perform facility activation tests of fluids subsystems
• Maintain and operate pneumatic and cryogenic hardware and/or control software
• Follow safety policies during test planning and operations
• Troubleshoot anomalies real-time
• Reduce, analyze, and archive test data to support verification tasks

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, chemical, or related engineering fields
• 8+ years experience with a background in propulsion testing
• Experience with developing, writing, and executing test procedures
• Willingness to commit to tight deadlines and be ambitious
• Experience reading P&ID schematics/layout designs
• Experience developing fluids systems installation and checkout procedures
• Understand fundamentals of pressure, flow, and temperature instrumentation

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience with a background in cryogenic testing, pressurized equipment, and vacuum systems.
• Experience with main engine, cryogenic, hydraulic, and GHe test capabilities, including design, fabrication, installation, and operation.
• Technical expertise in component and system-level testing of spaceflight hardware through the development, qualification, and acceptance of test campaigns
• Experience with test facility instrumentation and Data Acquisition and Control Systems
• Familiarity with cleanroom work and its associated best practices
• ASME codes and local building standards
• Proficiency in LabView, Python, MATLAB

Base Pay Range for:

CO applicants is $110,938.00 - $155,312.85WA 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's Affine? or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us [e-mail]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.