Senior Propulsion Engineer - Engines

Blue Origin LLC; Spokane (WA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life insurance

Paid parental leave

Disability insurance

401(k) with company match up to 5%

Education Support Program

Stock options

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to own the engine-level architecture, decompose requirements, and manage interfaces across subsystems and vehicle integration. You will drive rigorous trade studies and work with test data to optimize performance while ensuring clear communication to leadership.

You will collaborate across subsystems, vehicle teams, test ops, and program leadership to maintain technical readiness and implement mitigation strategies for risks as needed.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in aerospace/ mechanical/ systems engineering or related field.
• 8+ years in propulsion or aerospace system development.
• Hands-on experience with requirements development and system-level verification.
• Strong fundamentals to engage with subsystem engineers across propulsion domains.

Responsibilities

• Own engine-level systems architecture with coherent, traceable design.
• Allocate requirements across subsystems with clear verification paths.
• Define interfaces between engine subsystems and between engine and vehicle.
• Lead engine-level trade studies with analytical rigor and clear recommendations.
• Engage with test data and investigations to drive performance optimization.

Skills

Systems engineering

Requirements management

Interface definition

Trade studies

Cross-functional leadership

Education

BS in Aerospace/Mechanical/Systems Eng

MS preferred

Tools

DOORS

Jira

Confluence

Jama

Job description

Responsibilities

• Own the engine-level systems architecture, ensuring design decisions made at the subsystem level are coherent, traceable, and optimized for the system as a whole
• Develop, decompose, and allocate requirements across subsystems, maintaining clear traceability and a credible path to verification for every requirement
• Define and control all key interfaces between engine subsystems and between the engine and vehicle, resolving conflicts before they become integration problems
• Lead engine-level trade studies with analytical rigor, driving clear recommendations that advance the program rather than cataloguing options
• Actively engage with test data, anomaly investigations, and design iterations to identify optimization opportunities and push system performance
• Identify technical risks early, develop mitigation strategies, and communicate program status with clarity and honesty to leadership and stakeholders
• Serve as the technical hub across a wide range of stakeholders - subsystem engineers, vehicle teams, test operations, and program leadership
• Coordinate System Safety analysis across the engine, ensuring complete hazard coverage and no gaps across subsystems
• Lead and prepare for major program reviews, setting a high bar for technical readiness and ensuring the team is prepared to defend their designs
• Maintain configuration discipline across drawings, interface control documents, and design documentation so the team always has an accurate picture of the current system

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field
• 8+ years of experience in propulsion or aerospace system development, with meaningful time spent on liquid rocket engine programs
• Hands-on experience with requirements development, interface definition, and system-level verification on flight or flight-like hardware
• Sufficient propulsion fundamentals to engage credibly with subsystem engineers across combustion devices, turbomachinery, and feed systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience as a lead or sole systems engineer on a liquid rocket engine program with direct accountability for technical integrity
• Experience with high-performance engine cycles
• Experience with requirements management tools such as DOORS, DNG, Jama, or equivalent, and Atlassian tools including Jira and Confluence
• System Safety analysis experience including FMECA, FTA, and FHA in a flight-critical environment
• Experience with reliability, maintainability, and supportability (RMS) analysis and execution

Base Pay Range for: 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

• 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%
• 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 *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].

About Blue Origin

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.