Prototype Shop Manager — Rapid Development

Blue Origin; Merritt Island (FL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match up to 5%

Paid Time Off and holidays

Education Support Program

Stock Options

Job summary

Blue Origin in Merritt Island, FL seeks an experienced people manager to lead a small prototyping operations team on the shop floor. You will balance operational leadership with relationship-building with internal engineering customers to translate requirements into actionable work.

The role emphasizes hands-on fabrication, prototyping discipline training, and maintaining a safe, collaborative shop culture while driving on-time delivery and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on fabrication, manufacturing, or prototyping experience.
• 2+ years of direct people management or team lead experience.
• Experience in mechanical prototyping, composite fabrication, or soft goods manufacturing.
• Strong organizational and workload management skills.
• Excellent communication skills interfacing with shop floor technicians and engineering stakeholders.
• Experience with material/tooling procurement and vendor coordination.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of technicians on day-to-day prototyping operations and manage 9 technicians based on demand.
• Conduct yearly performance reviews and ongoing coaching.
• Support team development, training, and skill-building in prototyping disciplines.
• Foster a safe, collaborative, and high-performing shop culture.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal engineering customers and translate requirements into actionable work.
• Provide status updates, manage expectations, and resolve schedule or technical conflicts.
• Coordinate material and tooling procurement and maintain shop readiness and inventory.

Skills

Hands-on fabrication

People management

Mechanical prototyping

Composite fabrication

Soft goods manufacturing

Organization & planning

Communication skills

Procurement & vendor coordination

Job description

Blue Origin in Merritt Island, FL seeks an experienced people manager to lead a small prototyping operations team on the shop floor. You will balance operational leadership with relationship-building with internal engineering customers to translate requirements into actionable work.

The role emphasizes hands-on fabrication, prototyping discipline training, and maintaining a safe, collaborative shop culture while driving on-time delivery and continuous improvement.