Structural Engineer III - Thermal Hardware - Lunar Permanence Verified today
Role Overview
This position is part of Blue Origin's Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Moon landers and related products. As a member of the Lunar Core Components Heat Transfer team, you will apply your skills to structural analysis of lunar vehicle thermal hardware and provide design recommendations to optimize performance.
You will work through the complete product lifecycle, from initial CAD models through flight qualification and installation on lunar vehicles.
Key Responsibilities
- Interpret, decompose, and derive structural loads and requirements using vehicle-provided load factors for secondary structures and interfacing hardware
- Lead trade studies to inform structural integrity of component and assembly design
- Design, analyse, develop, and test secondary structures including additively manufactured parts, composites, and metallic components
- Build 3D models, detail part drawings, assemblies, installations, and interface control documents to drive structural analysis
- Work with thermal hardware engineers to develop structurally sound and thermally appropriate components
- Coordinate with other subsystem teams on structural interface design
- Provide on-site manufacturing and production support, including travel when needed
- Participate in subsystem structural verification test planning, execution, data reduction and analysis
- Work with multi-functional teams on material selection, manufacturing processes, and supplier selection
- Develop tooling and equipment requirements for manufacturing and assembly facilities
- Maintain and report on activity schedule, budget, and technical status
- Coach, mentor, and technically assist junior engineers
- Identify opportunities for improvements and operational cost savings
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in engineering plus 6+ years of related experience
- Experience on launch vehicles, spacecraft, aircraft, or similar in one or more of: structural design of metallic components and assemblies, vehicle load path distribution and first order strength assessment and sizing, or material selection, compatibility, and manufacturing techniques
- Strong understanding of structural design and analysis fundamentals
- Strong mechanical design skills using Creo
- Ability to conduct structural analysis using both classical hand-calculation methods and finite element analysis
- Familiarity with classical aerospace sizing methods (Bruhn, Niu, Roark)
- Strong skills authoring and interpreting Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance analysis (ASME Y14.5)
- Understanding of aerospace hardware verification and validation processes
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's degree in engineering plus 9+ years of related experience
- Deep knowledge of bonded and bolted joint design, mechanics, and analysis techniques
- Strong communication skills and ability to build consensus among stakeholders
- Expertise with industry standard analysis codes: Ansys, Nastran, Optistruct, LS-Dyna, Hypermesh, Hypersizer
- Experience with rapid development techniques for hardware
- Performing trades with vehicle-level and subsystem design teams
- Composites integration, analysis, and manufacturing knowledge
- Experience developing manufacturing processes for production
- Designing for manufacturability
- Knowledge of systems engineering practices, fabrication and integration processes, and quality control
- Experience with hardware manufacturing practices including drilling, shimming, fastening, composites fabrication, fluids integration, avionics integration, instrumentation
Compensation and Benefits
Base pay range varies by location:
- CA applicants: $130,706.00 - $182,987.70
- CO applicants: $119,814.00 - $167,738.55
- WA applicants: $130,706.00 - $182,987.70
- 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 up to 5% company match, Education Support Program, and stock options for regular employees. Paid time off: up to four weeks per year based on scheduled hours, plus up to 14 company-paid holidays.
Additional Information
- Travel expected up to 15% of the time
- Interviews will include a technical assessment
- Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum
- Background check required for all positions