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Civil/Structural Engineer III, Ground System Test Engineering and Development Verified today

Blue Origin · Seattle, WA · Production · first seen 2026-10-28
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Role Overview

As a Civil/Structural Engineer III on the Ground System Design & Test team, you will design and analyze the structures that support Blue Origin's rocket engine testing. You'll work on small to medium steel structures, flame diverters, engine test stand structural hardening, pipe and equipment supports, access platforms, and custom fixtures and test article mounts in steel and aluminum. You will use both hand calculations and finite element analysis across every Blue Origin engine and component test site.

Reporting to the Director of Test Engineering and Development, you will own structural deliverables from concept through activation, partnering with mechanical/fluids engineers, CAD designers, construction project managers, and civil contractors to bring test facilities to life.

Key Responsibilities

  • Perform structural analysis and design for structural steel frames, thrust structures, flame diverters, anchor systems, pipe/equipment supports, and facility structural elements subjected to static, dynamic, thermal, and impulsive/blast loads from rocket engine testing
  • Design and analyze small to medium structural steel systems including primary load-bearing frames, bracing, access platforms, and embedded anchor systems per AISC and ASCE standards
  • Produce structural analyses using hand calculations and FEA (STAAD, ANSYS, or equivalent); release calculations, analysis reports, and supporting engineering documentation
  • Develop 3D structural models and construction drawings, coordinating with the CAD drafting team to ensure design intent carries through to construction documents
  • Design custom fixtures and test article mounts (steel and aluminum) for engine/component integration to test stands, partnering with mechanical engineering on interface and adapter structures
  • Evaluate existing test stand structures against new load cases from upgrades, new engine configurations, or facility modifications, including structural hardening for new test campaigns
  • Work with construction project managers and civil contractors to ensure design intent is realized in the field; support RFIs and non-conformance disposition
  • Serve as the structural engineering representative in HAZOP and facility safety reviews, identifying and communicating structural risk across the project lifecycle
  • Own structural deliverables with minimal oversight; mentor junior engineers and designers

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related engineering discipline
  • 6 or more years of structural engineering experience, with demonstrated structural analysis and design of industrial or heavy structures
  • Proficiency in structural analysis software, including STAAD and ANSYS (or equivalent: RISA, SAP2000, ETABS, NASTRAN), with demonstrated ability to analyze by both hand calculation and FEA
  • Experience designing small to medium structural steel systems per AISC and ASCE 7 standards
  • Experience producing structural construction drawings and 3D models using standard CAD/BIM tools (Revit, Tekla, Creo, AutoCAD)
  • Proficiency in geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) per ANSI/ASME Y14.5 standard
  • Demonstrated ability to independently own structural deliverables across the full design cycle
  • Experience with root cause analysis and corrective actions for structural non-conformances
  • Must hold, or be able to obtain, a Professional Engineer (PE) license in at least one U.S. state
  • 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

  • Active PE license in Washington, Alabama, Texas, or Florida; ability to obtain licensure in additional states supporting test sites is a strong plus
  • Pipe stress analysis experience
  • Experience with structural design/analysis of propulsion test stands, launch facilities, or comparable high-load industrial structures
  • Experience with seismic design, blast/impulsive load analysis, or dynamic load environments from rocket engine or propulsion testing
  • Experience with Creo specifically, or designing custom fabricated structural hardware / engine integration fixtures
  • Experience coordinating structural scope with construction PMs and civil contractors during facility construction or modification
  • Experience with HAZOP processes and facility safety reviews in an industrial or aerospace environment

Compensation and Location

Base pay range for Washington applicants: $121,023.00 to $169,432.20 per year. Other site ranges may differ.

Location: Greater Seattle Area. Relocation provided. Travel expected up to 25% of the time.

What to Expect

Interviews will include a technical assessment.