Director- Manufacturing Quality Assurance

This role is part of Blue Origin Operations, which includes Integrated Supply Chain, Test Operations, Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance, providing Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities.

About the role

The Director, Quality Assurance is a leader who believes strong partnerships with operations and program teams are essential to becoming a world-class manufacturing company. In this role, you will lead the Cape Canaveral, Florida quality team, setting the vision, driving continuous improvement, and partnering with cross-functional leaders at the Cape Canaveral manufacturing sites and across Blue Origin.

You will have a passion for solving sophisticated problems, providing operable solutions, and taking initiative with minimal direction. This position supports accelerated manufacturing production, innovative technology, research activities, and efficient production solutions for sub-orbital and orbital manufacturing and launch.

This role reports to the Sr. Director of Quality Assurance and directly impacts the history of space exploration, requiring dedication to safe and reusable spaceflight. Occasional travel is required, and relocation assistance is provided.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor Quality Assurance staff at the Cape Canaveral, Florida Blue Origin sites:
  • Drive quality products by maintaining a culture of accountability, structure, and attention to detail.
  • Deliver business and program Quality commitments across manufacturing operations.
  • Work with leadership to identify, lead, and develop quality actions critical to program success and meeting contractual promises.
  • Identify and mitigate quality risks, demonstrating ownership and teamwork to develop operable solutions.
• Collaborate with external customers on quality-related concerns and participate in investigations to resolve preventable actions.
• Evaluate customer requirements, perform initial program planning, and identify approaches for niche requirements.
• Implement engineering design reviews and recommend improvements for quality and manufacturability of new designs.
• Lead all aspects of the Blue Origin Quality Management System compliance, integration, and improvements, including coordination with 3rd Party certification bodies.
• Execute health assessment methodologies and perform periodic audits to maintain compliance with company and industry standards.
• Lead Quality Assurance business objectives, including budget preparation, variance analysis, continuous improvement initiatives, and root cause/corrective action (RCCA) leadership.

Requirements

• Minimum of a B.A. degree.
• 10+ years’ experience in quality, manufacturing, test, or operations.
• Experience leading or working in quality management systems; familiarity with AS9100, ISO9000, or related quality systems.
• Quality Assurance/Manufacturing experience in development, production, and maintenance environments.
• Strong leadership, planning, and project management skills.

Qualifications

• 15+ years total work experience.
• MBA preferred.
• Experience in aerospace, space launch, military, or commercial aviation.
• Blend of small/midsized and large firm experience, with the ability to maximize success using limited resources.
• Knowledge of design for inspection or testability.
• Knowledge of metrology equipment.
• Experience with matrix-led organizations.

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. A background check is required for all positions, with additional checks for specific roles (e.g., DBIDS for military installations, DOT requirements for commercial drivers, or Merchant Mariner Credential for relevant roles).

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Basic and supplemental life insurance.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short- and long-term disability.
• 401(k) with a company match of 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 based on scheduled hours, plus 14 company-paid holidays.
• Eligibility for additional benefits and bonuses based on role, job level, and company discretion (not guaranteed).