Senior Propulsion Systems Engineer — Engine Architect

Blue Origin; Washington; On-site; USD 145,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Parental leave

Disability insurance

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking an experienced Senior Systems Engineer to own the engine‑level architecture for a LOX/LNG booster engine. You will decompose requirements, define interfaces, and drive system readiness across subsystems and the vehicle, collaborating with engineers, test operations, and leadership.

You will engage with test data, manage trade studies, and communicate risks and status while ensuring traceability, configuration control, and thorough safety analysis across the program.

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.

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

Skills

Requirements development

Interface definition

System-level verification

Propulsion fundamentals

Liquid rocket engines

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Systems Engineering or related field

Tools

DOORS

DNG

Jama

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Blue Origin is seeking an experienced Senior Systems Engineer to own the engine‑level architecture for a LOX/LNG booster engine. You will decompose requirements, define interfaces, and drive system readiness across subsystems and the vehicle, collaborating with engineers, test operations, and leadership.

You will engage with test data, manage trade studies, and communicate risks and status while ensuring traceability, configuration control, and thorough safety analysis across the program.