Sr. Responsible Engineer, Deployment Mechanism – TeraWave Solar Array Verified today

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.

You will own the design, development, and qualification of the TeraWave solar array's deployment mechanism as its Responsible Engineer. You will balance tight packaging, mass, and reliability constraints while serving as the technical authority for architecture, analysis, and validation strategy. 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 clean integration into the full wing.

Responsibilities

• 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
• Perform hands-on prototyping to quickly push the design forward on fast-moving R&D cycles, including passive actuation, motors, controls, and instrumentation
• Perform analysis for kinematic, motor/spring/gear sizing, tolerance stacks, and structural performance
• Lead and technically guide other engineers designing deployment mechanism sub-components and ancillary hardware such as latches, hinges, dampers, hold-down and release mechanisms
• Own the deployer's interfaces with the solar power module, photovoltaic assembly, and harness subsystems; coordinate with subsystem owners to resolve conflicts
• Drive DFM/DFA and producibility to reduce cost and meet schedule as the deployer matures toward production
• 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 cross-disciplinary R&D environment with structural, thermal, electrical, and manufacturing disciplines
• 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 or more 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

Compensation and Details

• Base pay range for WA applicants: $145,188.00 to $203,263.20
• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 25% of the time
• Interviews will include a technical assessment

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Short and long-term disability
• 401(k) with company match up to 5%
• Education Support Program
• Stock options for all regular employees working at least 20 hours/week
• Paid time off: up to four weeks per year and up to 14 company-paid holidays