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 diverse team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!  

We are a diverse 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.  
 
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! 
 

As part of a diverse and hardworking team of specialists, technicians, and engineers, the Test Engineer Manager will lead a team of Test Engineers that operates one of our large scale rocket engine test stands at Launch Site One in Van Horn, TX. You will share in the team’s impact on all aspects of rocket engine testing.  This leader is responsible for recruiting, training, growing and retaining the Test Engineer team, and leveraging their skills both to expertly carry out rocket engine tests safely, while also implementing improvements that drive up safety, rate and reliability, while driving down cost. This team is key in testing BE-3PM, BE-3U, and BE-7 hydrogen-oxygen rocket engines.

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! 

Van Horn Specific information

Being at the heart of Blue Origin operations, the west Texas Site in Van Horn, TX offers eligible employee’s additional attractive financial incentives to supplement their competitive base earnings, including a living allowance and relocation assistance.  Eligibility for these additional benefits is based on the employee’s ability to permanently relocate to Van Horn, TX, or travel to Van Horn from another Blue location a minimum of 50% of the time.

Responsibilities: 

• Manage Test Engineers including recruiting, training, mentoring, developing, and retaining talent. 
• Lead a team that covers two shifts and 7 days a week, possible three shifts in the future. Assign employees to ensure coverage at all times.
• Personally set a high standard for safety of all activities.
• Promote teamwork, employee engagement, and good employee morale. 
• Exemplify all Blue Leadership Principles, especially operational excellence. 
• Ensure all employees maintain required training.
• Demonstrate high standards in test operations and work cooperatively with a diverse team of Technicians, Responsible Engineers, design engineers, Quality Specialists, and other stakeholders to carry out testing. 

• Assist in the preparation of Program Monthly Review, Monthly Activity Report, Weekly Status, and Daily Progress Checks to help communicate inwards and outwards across the organization. 
• Create strategic goals for the Test Engineer team and the test stand, and plan and deploy personnel to achieve these goals. 
• Assist in overhead and labor budget planning and execution. 

• Develop and execute daily and long term test plans and procedures; perform subsequent data reduction and reviews. 
• Lead daily test operations in coordination with internal customers and other stakeholders.
• Understand and troubleshoot fluid and instrumentation systems. 
• Perform root cause analysis and failure investigations; lead implementation of corrective actions or continuous improvement projects 

• Perform system hazard analyses. 
• Identify opportunities for safety improvements and cost savings. 
• Comply with and improve processes for test stand configuration management. 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• BS degree in engineering or related field, or some other commensurate deep technical experience relevant to rocket engine testing.
• 2+ years of experience in an operations environment in large industry or aerospace facilities.
• 2+ years of work experience and demonstrated leadership responsibilities leading significant projects and/or engineering teams.
• Demonstrated expertise working with technicians to perform work on test facilities, handle test articles and lead test operations.
• Experience following and implementing safety practices in hazardous systems.
• Solid project management, team/people leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Strong technical and non-technical writing and verbal skills
• Displays initiative with a desire for ownership of projects and ability to drive them to completion
• Demonstrated experience in risk management and decision making
• Demonstrated experience in creating personnel training and development plans
• Ability to work onsite at Van Horn, TX Monday through Friday.
• Ability to work well under pressure and demonstrate initiative and follow through to improve existing systems, processes, and documentation. 

• Demonstrated technical expertise in high pressure gas, cryogenic fluid system design, or propulsion systems. 
• Understands hazardous operations and design for system safety 
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and strengthen our culture of inclusion 
• 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: 

• 5+ years’ experience with rocket engine/launch vehicle testing experience or equivalent test leadership role with similar complexity and hazards.
• Expertise in leading process hazard and root cause analyses
• Evidence of driving quantifiable efficiency gains in complex operations of large teams
• Knowledge of fabrication and integration processes, systems engineering and quality control practices
• Prior experience managing a team of engineers with clear evidence of delivering on schedule and budget for complex projects.
• Demonstrated experience in risk management and decision making
• Demonstrated experience in creating personnel training and development plans
• Detailed technical expertise in liquid rocket engine test stand design, operation and maintenance, including
  • Pressurized Gas Systems (Air, Helium, Nitrogen, Hydrogen)
  • Cryogenic Fluid Systems (LN2, LH2, LOx, LNG)
  • Instrumentation and Control systems

• Liquid rocket propulsion systems, Project management and familiarity with Primavera P6 or MS Project 

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

Inclusivity 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 a diverse, inclusive, and 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.

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.

Paid Time Off:  Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

Discretionary bonus: Bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.

Eligibility for benefits varies by role type, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role.

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, diverse, 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, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. 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, gender, 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 “EEO Is the Law,” 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 [email protected].

California Applicant Privacy Notice

If you are a California resident, please reference the CA Applicant Privacy Notice here.