Sr. Responsible Engineer, Deployment Mechanism – TeraWave Solar Array

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

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation provided

Travel up to 25%

Stock options

Paid time off

Education support program

Job summary

Blue Origin in Colorado seeks an experienced Mechanical Engineer to own the TeraWave solar array deployment mechanism. You will lead design, analysis, and qualification, balancing packaging, mass, and reliability for space deployment.

You will drive rapid build‑test cycles, coordinate interfaces with SPM, PVA, and harness subsystems, and mentor junior engineers in a collaborative R&D setting to enable advanced space systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering with 8+ years of experience.
• Hands-on hardware design, prototyping and testing experience required.
• Familiarity with space environments and verification standards.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Responsible Engineer for the TeraWave deployment mechanism design and qualification.
• Lead the full design cycle: trade studies, conceptual/detailed design, analysis and tests.
• Define deployment architecture and validation strategy using analysis and environmental tests.

Skills

Mechanical design

3D CAD modeling

GD&T ASME Y14.5

Prototype testing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Creo

Finite element analysis

Multibody dynamics

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.

As part of a hardworking team of specialists, technicians, and engineers, you will own the design, development, and qualification of the TeraWave solar array's deployment mechanism as its Responsible Engineer, balancing tight packaging, mass, and reliability constraints. This is a deployer that unfolds the array's solar power modules on orbit, and you will be the technical authority for its architecture, analysis, and validation strategy, reporting up through the Sr. Manager who owns top-level wing design and delivery. You will define deployment architectures, drive rapid design‑build‑test cycles to burn down risk, and coordinate interfaces with the solar power module, photovoltaic assembly, and harness teams to ensure the deployer integrates cleanly into the full wing. If you thrive on hands‑on problem solving, taking ownership of a complex mechanism end‑to‑end, and want your work to directly enable humanity's future in space, this is the role for you.

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

• Serve as Responsible Engineer for the TeraWave solar array deployment mechanism, owning its design, analysis, and qualification
• Lead the entire design cycle for the deployer, including trade studies, conceptual and detailed design, structural analysis, development testing, and qualification
• Define deployment architecture and validation strategy, using analysis, prototyping, and environmental testing to prove performance in the space environment
• Hands‑on prototyping to quickly push the design forward on fast‑moving research and development cycles, including passive actuation, motors, controls, and instrumentation as the design requires
• Perform analysis for kinematic, motor/spring/gear sizing, tolerance stacks, and structural performance as the system design requires
• Lead and technically guide other engineers designing deployment mechanism sub‑components and ancillary hardware (e.g., latches, hinges, dampers, hold‑down and release mechanisms), ensuring their designs integrate cleanly with the overall deployer
• Own the deployer's interfaces with the solar power module (SPM), photovoltaic assembly (PVA), and harness subsystems; coordinate with subsystem owners to resolve interface conflicts
• Drive DFM/DFA and producibility to reduce cost and meet schedule as the deployer matures toward production rate
• Generate component drawings, assembly drawings, and interface control documents with application of GD&T per ASME Y14.5
• Perform flight hardware testing: TVAC, modal, vibration, and functional deployment testing
• Own the deployer‑level risk register and DFMEA; drive rapid issue resolution during integration, test, and qualification anomalies
• Collaborate in a scrappy, cross‑disciplinary R&D environment, working with structural, thermal, electrical, and manufacturing disciplines to deliver a fully integrated mechanism
• Coach, mentor, and technically assist junior engineers working on the deployment mechanism

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline; 8+ years of experience
• Recent experience designing and building mechanical hardware (passive or active mechanisms preferred)
• Hands‑on prototyping and testing experience
• Strong mechanical design, integration, and mechanism analysis skills using 3D modeling (Creo preferred) and simulation tools
• Experience with GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and performing tolerance stackup analysis
• Knowledge of manufacturing, assembly, integration, and verification/qualification testing
• Familiarity with space environments, verification standards, and vacuum environments
• Desire and drive to learn new skills and technical tools as the program develops
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with solar arrays or other large‑format deployable spacecraft structures
• Experience with large‑scale deployable and/or complex moving mechanisms from concept through qualification
• Experience with composites
• Deep knowledge of aerospace mechanisms design practices and standards such as NASA-STD-5017
• Experience with materials/coatings/lubricants/bearing selection for spacecraft
• Experience in mechanical finite element analysis for statics and dynamics; experience with multibody dynamics
• Knowledge of mechanism avionics interfaces and control logic
• Experience with test data acquisition systems and data reduction
• Experience with thermal design of spacecraft structures and mechanisms
• Prior experience serving as a Responsible Engineer or technical lead for a mechanism or subsystem

Special Mentions

• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 25% of the time
• Interviews will include a technical assessment

Base Pay Range For

CA applicants is $145,188.00 - $203,263.20 CO applicants is $133,500.00 - $186,898.95 WA applicants is $145,188.00 - $203,263.20

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

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Aff…