Mechanical Engineer III – Solar GSE Verified today

About the Role

As a Mechanical Engineer III in the Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE) team, you will own the mechanical ground support equipment (MGSE) that makes Blue Origin's next-generation solar array programs possible. The Solar Center of Excellence is building world-class capabilities in solar array development, and the MGSE you design will be on the critical path from materials and processes through assembly, test, and qualification.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, fabricate, and verify the full suite of mechanical ground support equipment for large-format solar array wings, from prototype assembly through engineering build and qualification test
• Design and develop breakover and repositioning fixtures that allow solar wings to be rotated and handled during ground integration, protecting fragile photovoltaic assemblies
• Design, build, and validate electro-mechanical test stands for testing spacecraft mechanism performance using force gauges, temperature sensors, motors, limit switches, and microcontrollers
• Design and conduct experiments to quantify test stand and GSE performance and inform flight hardware testing procedures
• Work with manufacturing and operations engineers to build early-stage assembly machinery and jigs with design elements that translate to higher production rates
• Design and release a broad family of wing assembly fixtures including integration stands, alignment fixtures, drill jigs, harness routing guides, connector support brackets, and panel-level handling aids
• Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles; write clear manufacturing specifications and work with in-house machinists and outside vendors on fabrication
• Communicate lessons learned from GSE integration to the design team with recommended design changes to improve solar array manufacturability and handling
• Lead design and analysis of gravity off-load systems, including dynamic load analysis, cable or counterbalance system design, and deployment simulation
• Validate off-load accuracy through rigid-body kinematic analysis and instrumented checkout, selecting from constant-force springs, air bearings, overhead cable systems, or hybrid approaches
• Support miscellaneous GSE needs as programs mature: Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) test fixture design, transportation and shipping containers, vibration test interface plates, and deployment restraint fixtures
• Generate component drawings, assembly drawings, and interface control documents with GD&T per ASME Y14.5; perform tolerance stackup analysis
• Perform structural analysis to size load-bearing members, select fastener schemes, and verify structural load paths
• Collaborate in a fast-paced cross-disciplinary R&D environment with manufacturing engineers, mechanisms designers, test engineers, and technicians
• Coach, mentor, and technically assist junior mechanical engineers

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related engineering discipline
• 5 or more years of relevant experience in mechanical design, with demonstrated focus on tooling, fixtures, GSE, or ground handling equipment
• Experience designing and building mechanical hardware, including hands-on prototyping and acceptance testing
• Proven ability to own and deliver fully commissioned machines, fixtures, structures, and test equipment from clean-sheet design
• Experience working with vendors to size, specify, purchase, and commission large-scale equipment
• Proficiency in 3D CAD using Creo (or equivalent parametric modeling tool); experience managing designs in Windchill or equivalent PDM system
• Proficiency in GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and demonstrated experience performing tolerance stackup analysis across multi-part assemblies
• Working knowledge of structural analysis sufficient to size load-bearing members, select fastener schemes, and verify load paths
• Working knowledge of basic data acquisition systems and sensors used in mechanical test setups
• Experience with standard manufacturing processes including machining, sheet metal fabrication, extrusion-based construction, and additive manufacturing
• Experience writing manufacturing specifications and working with machine shops or outside vendors
• 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 as a refugee or granted asylum

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing GSE or handling fixtures for aerospace flight hardware, particularly large or fragile assemblies such as solar arrays, antenna panels, or composite structures
• Familiarity with gravity off-load system design approaches: constant-force springs, air bearings, overhead cable systems, or hybrid counterbalance configurations
• Experience with rigid-body kinematic analysis and deployment simulation for mechanisms with large range of motion
• Familiarity with cleanroom and high-bay operational constraints and their impact on tooling design
• Experience with TVAC test fixture design, vibration test interface plates, or transportation and shipping container design for fragile assemblies
• Familiarity with aerospace workmanship standards (NASA-STD-8739.x) and their application to tooling and handling equipment
• Experience with finite element analysis tools for static and dynamic structural verification of tooling
• Experience designing for hybrid manufacturing environments (partial automation) and mass-production environments
• Familiarity with deployable solar array structures or large flexible spacecraft assemblies
• Experience with Windchill for drawing release, change management, and configuration control

Special Mentions

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

Compensation and Benefits

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

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program. Stock options available for all regular employees working at least 20 hours per week. Paid time off up to four weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.