Sr. Director MK1 Lunar Lander

Blue Origin LLC; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid time off & holidays

Education Support Program

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC is seeking a Sr. Director to lead the MK-1 Lunar Lander development program, overseeing multiple variants across architectures.

You will guide cross-functional teams through design, manufacturing, testing, and delivery on aggressive schedules to advance lunar exploration and support NASA partnerships. The role requires strategic leadership, deep aerospace experience, and the ability to manage complex, concurrent programs while driving cost and schedule discipline and ensuring

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in aerospace systems.
• Strong engineering development experience across the product lifecycle.
• Experience managing multi-vehicle programs with different architectures.
• Advanced knowledge in designing, building, testing and flying aerospace systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Providing overall leadership for the MK-1 Lunar Lander development program and managing concurrent lunar lander variants.
• Ensure all variants meet or exceed program requirements while balancing trade-offs.
• Lead a team through requirement definition, design, manufacturing, assembly, test, verification, and delivery.
• Execute complex programs on schedule with risk mitigation across vehicle variants.
• Drive cost and schedule discipline across the product line for Endurance, VIPER, and Lunar Terrain Vehicle missions.
• Manage customer, partner, and supplier relationships.
• Balance prioritization and resources across multiple development maturity levels.
• Help build a strong organization and acquire high-performance teams.
• Drive operational excellence for safe and efficient systems.
• Deliver aggressive development, manufacturing, and operations goals.

Skills

Aerospace experience

Program management

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Education

MS in aerospace or related field

MBA (desired)

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 the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin’s Blue Moon landers and related products.

To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

Job Description

We are a team of collaborators, doers, and problem-solvers who are relentlessly committed to a culture of safety. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable space flight. Join us in lowering the cost of access to space and enabling Blue Origin's vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth. Blue Origin is committed to building a future where millions of people live and work in space to benefit Earth. We must return to the Moon permanently, and Blue Origin's Lunar Permanence Programs enable this goal. As the pathfinder vehicle, the MK-1 Lunar Lander is the first of a series of Lunar Landers that will result in a sustainable lunar lander systems program. Our MK-1 program represents an ambitious multi-mission cadence: Our first MK-1 "Endurance" will be the largest and most complex vehicle ever to land on the moon. Our second MK-1 will continue humanity's exploration of the Lunar south pole by delivering NASA's VIPER rover. NASA has also selected Blue Origin to fly two additional MK-1 landers to deliver Lunar Terrain Vehicles. Each of these missions operates with distinct architectural configurations tailored to evolving mission requirements. Executing these complex, concurrent missions requires sophisticated cost and schedule planning and management across multiple vehicle variants in different development phases. The team building this vehicle is rethinking how space systems are designed, with a high-performing architecture, efficient reusability, and rapid design iteration. The Senior Director of MK-1 Lunar Lander must deliver the system to operation on a challenging schedule and must demonstrate high judgment and have deep business experience including program and business responsibilities. They will be an inspiring leader who enjoys picking up challenges and driving them to solution. The Sr. Director will have a clear, concise, consistent communication style (both written and verbal) that instills energy and excitement in team members.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Responsibilities

• Providing overall leadership for the MK-1 Lunar Lander development program and managing the concurrent development of multiple lunar lander variants with different architecture configurations across the product line family.
• Ensure all Lander variants meet or exceed program requirements while balancing technical trade-offs across the product family.
• Manage a team that performs requirement definition, design, manufacturing, assembly, test, verification, validation, certification, and delivery of systems in the most expeditious manner consistent with success.
• Execute highly complex concurrent development programs on schedule while ensuring project risks are appropriately mitigated across all vehicle variants.
• Drive cost and schedule discipline across the entire product line, ensuring aggressive but achievable timelines for Endurance, VIPER, and Lunar Terrain Vehicle missions.
• Manage critical customer (NASA), partner, and supplier relationships, both internal suppliers as well as external ones.
• Balance technical prioritization and resource allocation across multiple vehicle variants in different development maturity levels.
• Help build a strong organization and provide leadership.
• Acquire and develop a high-performance team.
• Drive operational excellence creating a safe and efficient system.
• Help deliver aggressive goals for development, manufacturing, and operations.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in aerospace systems
• Strong engineering development experience across the product lifecycle, with a track record of delivery on very aggressive schedules
• Demonstrated experience managing product family development or multiple concurrent vehicle programs with different technical architectures or design approaches
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge in designing, building, testing and flying aerospace systems for rockets, landers, and space systems
• Demonstrated ability to quickly identify and solve ambiguous problems and use engineering judgment to make rapid decisions that minimize wasted effort
• Attention to detail and desire to roll up your sleeves while insisting on high standards
• Demonstrated ability to operate both strategically and tactically in a high-energy, fast-paced environment
• Highly organized and capable of planning and guiding complex technical work across multiple concurrent programs
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and collaboration skills that enable you to earn trust at all levels

Desired

• M.S. or PhD in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering or related field, or MBA
• Experience managing multi-mission program portfolios with NASA

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

• 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

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.

Bonus

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 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.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’sAffirmative 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]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.

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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 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.