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Supplier Development & Qualification Engineer III, Avionics, Communications & Solar Verified today

Blue Origin · 3 Locations · Electronics · first seen 2026-09-03
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The Role

As a Supplier Development & Qualification Engineer at Blue Origin, you will build and execute the technical programs that transform the supply base from reactive to ready. You own the avionics, communications, and solar commodity portfolio including GNC units, GPS receivers, antennas, transponders, RF assemblies, and solar arrays flying on Blue Ring and satellite programs.

Working directly with suppliers, you will lead qualification activities across Blue Origin's four-gate pathway, from initial capability survey through first article approval and rate readiness. You will design and run development programs with critical suppliers, including design-to-manufacture workshops and yield and capacity improvement initiatives. You will be on-site with suppliers regularly, owning the qualification outcome.

Responsibilities

Supplier Qualification & Readiness

  • Own technical onboarding and qualification of suppliers across the four-gate pathway, from capability survey through first article approval and rate readiness
  • Build onboarding and qualification plans with clear milestones, acceptance gates, and go/no-go criteria; initiate qualifications ahead of demand
  • Conduct facility and technical capability assessments; evaluate process control, test capability, workforce competency, and ability to scale to rate
  • Review supplier qualification and acceptance data including qualification test reports, Acceptance Test Procedures, end-item data packages, and as-built/as-tested configuration records; disposition findings against Blue's requirements
  • Assess qualification by similarity, flight heritage, and delta-qualification needs
  • Define acceptance criteria for test fixtures, ESD-controlled packaging, and handling of contamination and moisture-sensitive hardware

Supplier Development

  • Design and run development programs with critical suppliers, including design-to-manufacture workshops and yield and capacity improvement initiatives
  • Drive measurable improvement in supplier quality, delivery performance, and technical maturity
  • Expand the qualified supply base across the portfolio; mature the criteria, gate frameworks, and standard work that enable faster qualification at scale

Technical Sourcing Support

  • Build technical content for executable bid packages: performance and process requirements, qualification and acceptance test requirements, workmanship callouts, and data deliverables
  • Partner with Commodity Managers to embed technical flowdowns into agreements; provide supplier capability benchmarks to inform source selection
  • Provide technical grounding for make/buy and second-source trade analysis

Engineering Collaboration

  • Partner with Avionics, GNC, Communications, and Power/Solar engineering teams from design through production release; represent supply chain in design reviews and engineering change processes
  • Read and interpret interface control documents, performance specifications, schematics, and wiring/harness diagrams; identify producibility and specification gaps early
  • Feed supplier readiness status and emerging risks to Supply Chain Program Managers; surface blockers ahead of schedule impact

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronics, Aerospace, or Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field
  • 4+ years in supplier development, manufacturing engineering, supply chain engineering, quality engineering, or component engineering supporting electronic, RF, electro-optical, or solar hardware in a production or high-reliability environment
  • Experience on satellite, in-space vehicle, or constellation programs, including rate ramp on supplier-designed units
  • Experience reviewing supplier qualification and acceptance documentation and identifying non-compliances against requirements
  • Experience conducting supplier facility and capability assessments
  • Ability to read and interpret specifications, interface control documents, schematics, and wiring diagrams
  • Working familiarity with environmental qualification of electronic hardware including thermal vacuum, thermal cycling, vibration and shock, EMI/EMC
  • Familiarity with AS9100 supplier quality systems and AS9102 first-article inspection
  • Strong written and verbal communication; able to translate technical findings into clear commercial and programmatic language
  • Willingness to travel approximately 25% domestically and internationally for supplier assessments and qualification events

Preferred Qualifications

  • Hands-on experience with inertial or electro-optical sensors (IMUs, star trackers, sun sensors), GNSS/GPS receivers, RF and microwave hardware (antennas, filters, waveguide, amplifiers, transponders), or solar cells and array laminates
  • Space-flight hardware experience: radiation hardness assurance, TID and single-event effects screening, radiation lot acceptance testing
  • RF test familiarity: VNA verification, insertion loss and VSWR, passive intermodulation, multipaction
  • Solar-specific experience: triple-junction cell and CIC processes, panel lay-up and laminate qualification, AM0/LAPSS testing, BOL/EOL performance
  • Contamination-sensitive build: cleanroom operations, outgassing, optical handling
  • Workmanship standards for harnesses and unit internals
  • EEE parts engineering: screening levels, derating, lot traceability, counterfeit avoidance
  • ITAR/EAR familiarity, including USML Category XV hardware
  • Master's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related technical field

Compensation

Base pay range for Washington applicants: $112,059.00 to $156,882.60. Other site ranges may differ.

Employment Requirements

Applicants 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.