Sr. Mechanisms Design Engineer - TeraWave

Blue Origin LLC; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 198,000 - 277,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental

Vision

Life insurance

Parental leave

Disability insurance

401(k) with company match

Stock options

Paid time off

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC's Emerging Systems is seeking an exceptional Opto-Mechanical Engineer to lead design of precision gimbal assemblies and optical components for the TeraWave constellation. You will define performance requirements, perform tolerance analyses, and mentor junior engineers in space-qualified mechanisms.

This role expects hands-on experience with mechanism design, GD&T, and thermal-vacuum testing, plus collaboration across avionics, mechanical, and production teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• 8+ years designing, analyzing, manufacturing, and qualifying space mechanisms.
• Experience with gimbal assemblies or multi-axis pointing mechanisms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architectural design and development of precision gimbal assemblies for space optical terminals.
• Define mechanism requirements, error budgets, and design margins across structural, thermal, dynamic domains.
• Drive design trades balancing mass, volume, stiffness, and lifetime.
• Lead qualification programs including shock, vibration, and thermal vacuum testing.
• Develop and maintain design standards and documentation for hardware builds.
• Guide integration, harness routing, and interface control with teams.
• Mentor junior engineers in mechanisms design and space qualification practices.

Skills

Gimbal design

Mechanical analysis

GD&T

Space qualification testing

Mentor engineers

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree or PhD preferred

Tools

Creo/NX/SolidWorks

ANSYS/NASTRAN/COMSOL

Job description

Emerging Systems - Opto-Mechanical Engineer

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! Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.

Emerging Systems business unit at Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and 128 satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.

Blue Origin's Emerging Systems is seeking an exceptional Engineer to provide technical leadership in opto-mechanical design for our TeraWave constellation. In this role, you will focus on developing critical optical systems including telescopes and gimbal assemblies while providing technical guidance on avionics enclosures and optical ground stations.

Special Mentions: Relocation assistance is available for qualified candidates. Travel expectations: Up to 20% travel may be required for integration activities, launch campaigns, and customer/vendor meetings.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architectural design and development of precision gimbal assemblies and pointing mechanisms for space-based optical communications terminals
• Define and own mechanism-level performance requirements, error budgets, and design margins across structural, thermal, and dynamic domains
• Drive design trades for gimbal configurations balancing mass, volume, stiffness, pointing accuracy, and on-orbit lifetime
• Lead mechanism qualification programs including component-level and system-level testing in shock, vibration, thermal vacuum environments
• Develop and maintain mechanism design standards, analysis workflows, and documentation to support incremental hardware build and test
• Provide technical guidance to engineering teams on mechanism integration, harness routing, and interface control
• Mentor junior and mid-level mechanical engineers in mechanisms design principles, analysis methods, and space qualification practices
• Support production transition through design-for-manufacturability improvements, tolerance analysis, and supplier development

Additional Areas

• Motor and encoder selection for precision drive systems
• Bearing selection, preload analysis, and lubrication strategies for space mechanisms
• Mechanism-level FMEA and reliability analysis

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field
• 8+ years of experience in precision mechanisms design for space or aerospace applications
• Demonstrated experience designing, analyzing, manufacturing, and qualifying gimbal assemblies or multi-axis pointing mechanisms for space environments
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., Creo, NX, SolidWorks) and finite element analysis tools (e.g., ANSYS, NASTRAN, Comsol)
• Experience with mechanism kinematics, dynamics, and structural analysis
• Knowledge of space qualification testing including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, and life testing
• Experience with bearing systems, drive trains, and precision actuators for space mechanisms
• Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and interface control documentation
• Knowledge of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• Experience with optical communications terminals or lasercom pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) systems
• Background in fast steering mirror systems and fine pointing mechanism design
• Experience with lubrication and tribology for space mechanisms (e.g., dry film, ionic liquid, oil-impregnated)
• Familiarity with STOP (Structural-Thermal-Optical-Performance) analysis workflows
• Experience transitioning precision mechanisms from development to high-rate production
• Experience with statistical process control and production data analysis for mechanism performance verification

Why Blue Origin

At Blue Origin, we are driven by our company motto, Gradatim Ferociter, meaning "Step by Step, Ferociously." We believe in methodical innovation to achieve our vision of enabling millions of people to live and work in space for the benefit of Earth. As a Principal Engineer for Opto-Mechanical Systems, you will play a crucial role in developing revolutionary optical communication technologies for the TeraWave constellation. You'll work with world-class teams on challenging problems, have access to state-of-the-art facilities, and contribute to missions that will shape the future of space exploration and utilization.

Base Pay Range

Base Pay Range for: WA applicants is $197,529.00 - $276,539.55

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

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.

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.

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. 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. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affiliation 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.