Sr. Design Engineer, Project Sunrise

Blue Origin; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 134,000 - 187,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin in Colorado is seeking a Senior Design Engineer to turn concepts into producible spacecraft hardware. You will lead complex designs, create detailed 3D models in CREO, perform trade studies, and drive structural, thermal, and tolerance analyses with a strong focus on manufacturability and accountability.

The role collaborates with cross-functional teams across analysis, manufacturing, and electrical engineering, requiring a Bachelor in Mechanical or Aerospace and 8+ years of relevant

Qualifications

• Bachelor in Mechanical or Aerospace engineering.
• 8+ years in design/analysis of complex mechanical systems.
• Expert in CREO for 3D modeling and detailed design.
• Hands-on experience designing, analyzing, and testing space mechanisms.
• Strong fundamentals in statics, dynamics, materials, and machine design.
• Proven ability to execute on complex design projects with accountability.
• U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or export-eligible.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of complex spacecraft components and subsystems, creating detailed 3D models and production drawings in CREO.
• Conduct trade studies to drive design decisions and ensure requirement compliance.
• Perform and guide structural, thermal, and tolerance analyses to validate design integrity.
• Apply GD&T to ensure manufacturable designs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including analysis, manufacturing, and electrical engineering.

Skills

CREO modeling

Space hardware

GD&T

Trade studies

Testing analysis

Accountability

Spacecraft design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace

Master’s degree preferred

Related field ok

Tools

CREO

ANSYS

NASTRAN

MBD

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 Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

Join Blue Origin as we build infrastructure in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re developing a satellite constellation of orbital data centers, Sunrise, designed to transform how compute infrastructure is deployed and leveraged.

As a Senior Design Engineer, you will be a key technical contributor responsible for turning engineering concepts into producible hardware. You are a creative problem-solver, combining past experience with innovative approaches to design spacecraft systems. This person is someone who can take an idea, design it, analyze it, and see it through testing and iteration themselves. This role requires deep expertise in CAD, a strong understanding of engineering principles, and the ability to execute on challenging designs with a high degree of accountability.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead the design of complex spacecraft components and subsystems, creating detailed 3D models, component specifications, and production-level drawings in CREO.
• Conduct and document trade studies to drive design decisions, optimize system architecture, and ensure requirement compliance.
• Perform and guide structural, thermal, and tolerance analyses to validate design integrity and performance.
• Apply knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) to ensure functional and manufacturable designs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including analysis, manufacturing, and electrical engineering, to deliver highly integrated and robust hardware solutions.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in the detailed design and analysis of complex mechanical systems.
• Expertise in CREO for 3D modeling and detailed design.
• Hands-on experience designing, analyzing, and testing space mechanisms or similar complex hardware.
• Strong fundamentals in mechanical engineering principles, including statics, dynamics, materials, and machine design.
• Proven ability to execute on complex design projects with a high degree of accountability.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for authorization under U.S. export regulations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• Proven track record of taking multiple flight hardware components or systems through the full product lifecycle.
• Experience with design for high-rate, low-cost manufacturing of complex systems.
• Hands-on building, assembly, and manufacturing experience.
• Experience with Model Based Definition (MBD) and its application in a production environment.
• Familiarity or fluency with AI tools and their application for design optimization or analysis.
• Expertise in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and its application to complex assemblies.
• Familiarity with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools (e.g., ANSYS, NASTRAN) for structural analysis.

Base Pay Range for:

CO applicants is $133,500.00 - $186,898.95WA 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 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 foster 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

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