Sr. Design Engineer, Structural/Mechanical… at Blue Origin · Seattle

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 Blue Origin Engines business unit, where our focus is the design, development, manufacturing, and testing of engines and propulsion systems. Built for multiple uses, our family of engines is powering the next generation of rockets for commercial, civil, national security, and human spaceflight.

As the Senior Structural Design Engineer on a small structural design team within Engines Advanced Programs, you will serve as the team's technical design lead — owning the most complex hardware and providing the senior technical voice on structural design, analysis, and trade decisions. You will design, analyze, build, and commission critical operational equipment, working directly with end users, technicians, and vendors.

Our team is the backbone of operational infrastructure for our program. We design essential support hardware including test stands, towers, lift fixtures, pipe supports, specialized assembly tooling, transporters, maintenance platforms, and dolly systems. We routinely design and analyze steel and aluminum structures, and we deliver mechanical systems that may include hydraulic, pneumatic, or other energized subsystems.

You will work the entire design cycle with no oversight — concept of operations through field commissioning. The hardware presents real structural challenges: non-obvious load paths, tight integration interfaces, code-driven sizing (ASME B30.20/BTH-1, AISC-360, ASCE-7, Aluminum Design Manual), welded steel and aluminum structures, and energized subsystems where structural integrity is safety-critical. The role demands advanced FEA and hand analysis, technical judgment to trade architecture and analysis approach, and the ability to defend designs in cross-discipline reviews. You will lead structural anomaly investigations and root cause analysis when hardware does not behave as predicted, and serve as the technical resource other engineers consult on hard structural problems.

We are looking for a senior structural engineer with deep design and analysis experience, strong working knowledge of structural codes for industrial and lifting equipment, and a track record of complex hardware delivered to the field. The role requires advanced technical judgment, ownership of the team's hardest problems, and willingness to put boots on the ground for fabrication support and field commissioning.

Special Mentions

• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 20% of the time
• Interviews will include a technical assessment

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Own end-to-end design of the most complex assigned hardware — clean-sheet structures, complex assemblies, and structurally critical equipment — from project objectives and concept of operations through operational handover
• Develop system technical needs and concepts of operations from project objectives and stakeholder input
• Create detailed designs and bills of materials through 3D CAD models and 2D drawing packages to industry standards (ASME Y14.5)
• Perform robust structural and mechanical analysis using FEA software and hand calculations; author detailed analysis reports describing load cases, factors of safety, and margins
• Define hardware test scope, requirements, and configurations, including non-destructive evaluation, proof testing, operational testing, material testing, and weld inspection
• Lead system safety analyses such as Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOP), Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), and Fault Tolerance Analysis (FTA)
• Develop activation and commissioning plans, and lead installation and commissioning activities in the field
• Maintain design authority throughout fabrication, working closely with vendors and manufacturing teams; resolve technical issues during field integration
• Oversee procurement and build of hardware (internal and external) to ensure it meets technical and operational requirements
• Serve as the team's technical resource for complex structural problems, trade studies, and architectural decisions
• Lead structural anomaly investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action development
• Provide technical review of designs, analyses, and drawing packages produced by other engineers
• Develop analysis methods, design tooling, and verification practices that improve technical quality and efficiency
• Represent the team in cross-discipline and cross-program technical reviews
• Provide schedule, hours, and budget input to leadership; inform program-level technical risk and trade decisions

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. degree in mechanical, civil, or aerospace engineering or related discipline from an accredited institution
• Minimum 7 years of experience designing and developing structural and mechanical equipment, tooling, or industrial hardware throughout the product life cycle
• Demonstrated ability to own complex designs from concept through commissioning with no oversight
• Demonstrated advanced technical judgment on complex structural problems, including trade studies and architectural decisions
• Experience leading structural anomaly investigations and root cause analysis on complex hardware
• Advanced experience using CAD and FEA software (Creo/NX and ANSYS preferred)
• Advanced drawing and modeling proficiency, including detail and assembly drawings with GD&T (ASME Y14.5)
• Deep design and analysis experience with steel and aluminum welded structures
• Strong working knowledge of industry codes and standards for structural equipment and tooling (e.g., ASME B30.20/BTH-1, OSHA, AISC-360, ASCE-7, Aluminum Design Manual)
• Practical knowledge of manufacturing processes (milling, turning, cutting, welding) and ability to design for fabrication
• Experience working with multi-functional teams including maintenance and sustaining operations
• Experience developing operational procedures for testing, commissioning, and maintenance of structural equipment and tooling
• Strong organization and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects
• Willingness to travel up to 20% to support hardware installation, troubleshooting, testing, and vendor support
• 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

• M.S. degree in mechanical, civil, or aerospace engineering
• Professional Engineer (PE) license in Civil, Mechanical, or Structural engineering
• Experience as engineer of record on critical lift hardware (ASME B30.20 / ASME BTH-1)
• Experience standing up new programs or capabilities — clean-sheet design rather than sustaining existing equipment
• Experience providing technical guidance to less-experienced engineers through design reviews and structural trade studies
• Experience qualifying welders and welding procedures (AWS D1.1, D1.2, or D14.1)
• Experience designing structural equipment and tooling for aerospace, propulsion, or other heavy industrial applications, including coordination with critical adjacent hardware
• Experience designing hydraulic and pneumatic mechanical systems
• Experience designing and analyzing hydraulic and pneumatic mechanical systems
• Fundamental understanding of ASME B31.3 for Process Piping
• Hands-on experience constructing or repairing a range of mechanical components and systems, acquired through personal pursuits or professional experience
• Proficiency in tolerance stack-up analysis
• Experience with PDM/PLM version control systems

Base Pay Range for: WA 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 (CDL drivers only), 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 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 Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.