Sr. GNC Manager, Mk1 Lunar Lander

Blue Origin LLC; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC seeks a seasoned GN&C Leader to head the guidance, navigation, and control team for the Mk1 vehicle. You will own people management, delivery of flight hardware, and GNC software while aligning with program goals and safety standards.

You will mentor engineers, drive technical excellence, and coordinate with other subsystems to ensure integrated, robust flight products for lunar missions. A MS degree and 10+ years in GN&C are required, with proven aerospace program experience.

Qualifications

• MS degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical eng with 10+ years design experience.
• Advanced knowledge in spacecraft GN&C systems development.
• Full lifecycle GN&C subsystem experience on at least one aerospace program.
• Experience developing and analyzing GN&C algorithms and flight software.
• Experience in navigation sensors and control actuators testing.
• Knowledge of rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking missions.
• Experience in staff planning, labor/cost estimates, and schedules.

Responsibilities

• Hire staff that continually raises the bar of performance
• Coach and mentor staff in technical growth and communication development
• Make quick technical, programmatic, and personnel decisions using quantitative metrics
• Automate or streamline work scope where possible
• Develop and manage subsystem budgets and schedules with risk-taking
• Integrate with other subsystems for efficient solutions
• Set subsystem priorities from company and vehicle objectives
• Review engineering changes and action items
• Develop strategic plans leveraging capabilities across Blue Origin vehicles
• Author reports and clearly describe technical problems and solutions to leadership

Skills

GN&C leadership

Team leadership

Budgeting and planning

Technical mentorship

Education

MS in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Eng with 10+ years design experience

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. As part of a hardworking team of specialists, technicians, and engineers , you will serve as the single threaded leader for the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) team for the Mk1 vehicle reporting to the vehicle program director. You will be accountable for people management, development and delivery of flight hardware, development and delivery of GNC flight software, and accuracy and efficiency of GNC analysis products. Team Management: You will directly manage a team who focuses on guidance, navigation, and control of the Mk1 vehicle. You will take ownership of the people, processes, and tools crucial for the outstanding performance in these subject domains. Using your excellent skills as a communicator, listener, and empathetic leader, you will lead the effort of encouraging and growing, rightsized workforce; supervising performance, merits, and promotions; shepherding team members’ careers through mentorship, opportunity matching, and technical development. Tapping into your expertise in GN&C, you will assure that your team’s work products meet domain quality standards. You will ensure benchmarking the team’s standards and tools with other Blue Origin business units and with industry trends. Technical Contribution: You will provide broad and deep GN&C domain expertise to ensure the technical product meets program requirements and expectations. You will lead and approve GN&C subsystem-level technical design decisions, as well as collaborate with other subsystem teams to ensure design coordination to meet the vehicle performance requirements. You will provide technical leadership to identify, assess, and mitigate GN&C subsystem risks. You will provide engineering leadership and mentoring to coordinate subsystem level design, analysis, and testing throughout development, verification, delivery, and operation. We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Hire staff that continually raises the bar of performance
• Coach and mentoring staff in their technical growth and communication development as well as in the quality and timeliness of the delivered products
• Make technical, programmatic, and personnel decisions quickly using quantitative metrics
• Be resourceful in execution and finding ways to automate or streamline work scope
• Develop and manage subsystem-level budgets and schedule while taking calculated risks to accelerate development by failing fast and iterating
• Actively integrating with all other subsystems to create efficient and integrated technical solutions
• Establish subsystem priorities as flowed down from company, business unit, and vehicle level objectives
• Review and impact engineering changes, variances, non-conformances, problem reports, action items, etc.
• Develop strategic plans that best leverage capabilities and hardware common across Blue Origin vehicles
• Author reports, define plans, and clearly describe technical problems and solutions to leadership

Minimum Qualifications:

• M.S. degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical engineering or related subject areas with at least 10 years of design experience
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge in the development of spacecraft GN&C systems
• Experience in full development lifecycle of GN&C subsystem on at least one aerospace program
• Extensive experience in development and analysis of GN&C algorithms and flight software
• Experience in development and testing of navigation sensors and control actuators
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with development of rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking missions
• Experience in development of bottoms-up staffing plans, labor and hardware cost estimates, and end-to-end schedules starting with conceptual design and ending