Sr. Mechanical Engineer - Deployable Mechanisms

Space Deployable Mechanisms Engineer

Application close date: Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed. At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We're working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! 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. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design. As part of a hardworking team of specialists, technicians, and engineers you will lead end-to-end development of space deployable mechanisms, balancing tight packaging, mass, and reliability constraints. You will define deployment architectures and validation strategies, using analysis, prototyping, and environmental testing to prove performance in the space environment. You will drive rapid design-build-test cycles to burn down risk quickly and drive the design maturity. You will make data-driven design and material choices that meet cleanliness and compatibility standards, coordinate interfaces across structural, thermal, and electrical disciplines, maintain configuration integrity, and drive rapid issue resolution to deliver flight-ready hardware.

Special Mentions: Relocation provided. Travel expected up to 25% of the time.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Own end-to-end design of deployable mechanisms (pantographs, hinges/latches, booms, tape springs, HDRMs, actuators) from concept through flight delivery within tight mass/volume envelopes.
• Develop mechanism architecture and sequencing; size motors/gears/springs, brakes, and rate-control/damping devices; determine margins for stiffness, repeatability, and deployment dynamics.
• Perform kinematics and multibody dynamics, torque/power sizing, tolerance stacks, and first order structural/dynamic/thermal checks; partner with analysts for structural and thermal.
• Own tolerance stacks and alignment strategy for stow/deploy; ensure repeatability and robustness across environments.
• Rapidly prototype and instrument mechanisms; execute deployment and lift testing, rate/timing characterization, and data analysis of test results.
• Plan and lead verification testing; TVAC, modal, vibe, or other environmental testing required; write test plans/procedures, define acceptance criteria, and drive anomaly resolutions.
• Select materials/coatings and lubricants compatible with space environments; implement contamination control/outgassing practices/standards.
• Collaborate with Structural/Thermal on coupled behaviors and with EPS on electrical harness interfaces.
• Generate CAD models and fully defined drawings with GD&T (Y14.5); author mechanical ICDs, BOMs, and drawings; maintain CM and review packages.
• Drive DFM/DFA and producibility; engage suppliers; provide technical leadership to meet cost/schedule.
• Drive RCCA/FRACAS for mechanism issues; implement design changes rapidly.
• Mentor junior engineers.
• Work effectively in a scrappy cross-disciplinary R&D environment with a geographically distributed team.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS in ME (or equivalent); 8-12+ years designing deployable mechanisms for space (or related).
• Proficiency in a major CAD platform (Creo preferred) and PLM (Windchill preferred).
• Proficiency in drawing creation with GD&T per ASME Y14.5; configuration management of ICDs/BOMs; tolerance stacks.
• Experience with structural/kinematics/dynamics/thermal analysis.
• Familiarity with materials/coatings/lubricants selection for space and cleanliness standards.
• Hands-on experience with rapid prototyping.