MK1 Mechanisms Manager

About the role

This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin’s Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface. We are a team of collaborators, doers, and problem-solvers who are relentlessly committed to a culture of safety. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable space flight.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of mechanisms engineers, providing technical guidance and career development
• Own the technical strategy for mechanism design, development, integration, and qualification across the program
• Guide the design of deployable, actuated, and separation mechanisms, including hinges, latches, dampers, actuators, and release devices
• Lead design and qualification of gimbal systems supporting engine actuation, pointing, or articulation requirements
• Drive design trade studies, architecture decisions, and make/buy decisions for mechanism subsystems, including gimbals and deployables
• Ensure mechanisms meet structural, thermal, kinematic, and reliability requirements across mission environments
• Partner with systems engineering, structures, avionics, and manufacturing teams to ensure successful integration of mechanisms into the broader vehicle
• Oversee test planning, execution, and anomaly resolution for mechanism qualification, life testing, and verification, including deployment and gimbal actuation testing
• Manage team workload, staffing plans, and hiring to meet program schedule and technical needs
• Establish and enforce engineering best practices, design standards, and lessons learned across the mechanisms discipline
• Support design reviews (PDR/CDR) and represent the mechanisms team in technical and programmatic reviews
• Manage risk, technical debt, and issue resolution related to mechanism performance, reliability, and manufacturability
• Foster a culture of safety, ownership, and continuous improvement within the team

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• 8+ years of experience in mechanism design, development, and testing for aerospace or related high-reliability industries
• 2+ years of experience in a people leadership, technical lead, or supervisory role
• Demonstrated experience designing and qualifying mechanisms such as deployables, latches, actuators, or separation systems
• Direct experience with gimbal system design (e.g., engine gimbals, antenna pointing mechanisms, or similar actuated systems)
• Experience with deployable structures such as solar arrays, landing legs, antennas, or extendable booms
• Strong understanding of kinematics, tribology, and mechanism failure modes
• Experience leading design reviews and technical decision-making in a fast-paced development environment
• Strong communication skills with ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and senior leadership
• Ability to earn trust, build positive relationships, and foster a culture of inclusion
• 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

Desired

• Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline
• Experience with mechanisms in extreme environments (cryogenic, vacuum, thermal cycling)
• Familiarity with FEA and multi-body dynamics simulation tools (e.g., ANSYS, Adams, Nastran)
• Experience with actuator selection and control (electromechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic) for gimbal or deployable applications
• Experience managing suppliers or vendors for mechanism components
• Track record of successfully flying or qualifying hardware for space, launch vehicle, or aircraft applications
• Experience establishing or scaling a new engineering team or discipline

Pay

For WA applicants the base pay range is $150,743.00 – $211,039.50. Other site ranges may differ.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, 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 weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays