Senior Lab Manager – Optical & RF Payload Lab Buildout

Blue Origin LLC; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 22,979,000 - 32,170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Life insurance

401(k) with company match

Stock options

Parental leave

Paid time off

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC is seeking a Sr. Lab Manager for the TeraWave lab in the Greater Seattle area.

You will lead engineers and technicians supporting OISL, RF payload, RF ground, and Star Tracker development, while building new lab capabilities from the ground up and ensuring safety, calibration, and documentation are maintained. You will recruit, mentor, and manage the team, define laboratory requirements, coordinate with subsystem leads, and drive milestones in a fast-paced aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in optics, electrical engineering, physics, or related field with 6+ years lab experience.
• 5+ years of people management, including hiring and performance management.
• Experience in optical and electrical lab environments with contamination control and laser safety.
• Experience standing up a lab from the ground up, including layout and commissioning.
• Ability to read optical and electrical schematics and troubleshoot at component level.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Manage team of lab engineers and technicians across OISL, RF payload, RF ground, and Star Tracker.
• Lead design, build-out, and commissioning of new lab space with environmental controls.
• Define optical lab requirements: contamination control, vibration isolation, thermal stability, laser safety.
• Coordinate with payload subsystem leads to prioritize lab resources.
• Oversee procurement of lab equipment and calibration maintenance.
• Develop and maintain lab procedures and documentation.
• Scope and track technical work to meet milestones.
• Troubleshoot and unblock lab issues hands-on.

Skills

People management

Lab leadership

Optical lab

Electrical lab

Schematic reading

Communication skills

Troubleshooting

Laser safety

Education

Bachelor's degree in Optics/Electrical Engineering/Physics

Job description

Blue Origin LLC is seeking a Sr. Lab Manager for the TeraWave lab in the Greater Seattle area.

You will lead engineers and technicians supporting OISL, RF payload, RF ground, and Star Tracker development, while building new lab capabilities from the ground up and ensuring safety, calibration, and documentation are maintained. You will recruit, mentor, and manage the team, define laboratory requirements, coordinate with subsystem leads, and drive milestones in a fast-paced aerospace environment.