Mechanism Design Engineer III - Deployable Solar Arrays

Application close date:

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!

As part of a hardworking team of specialists, technicians, and engineers, you will be one of the designers working on end-to-end development of deployable solar array mechanisms that power our ambitious vision, balancing tight packaging, mass, and reliability constraints. This is your opportunity to work on cutting-edge space hardware, helping write the next chapter of space infrastructure. You will help 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:

• Travel expected up to 15% of the time

• Interviews will include a technical assessment

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Design and develop components and subsystems for deployable mechanisms.

• Participate in the full design cycle for flight hardware, including contributing to trade studies, conceptual and detailed design, structural analysis, and development testing.

• Build and test hands-on prototypes to mature designs on fast-moving research and development projects.

• Perform analysis for mechanism systems, including kinematic studies, motor/spring/gear sizing, tolerance stacks, and structural checks.

• Apply Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/DFA) principles to help reduce cost and meet production schedules.

• Generate component and assembly drawings

• Support testing of flight hardware, including thermal vacuum, modal, vibration, and functional deployment tests.

• Collaborate in a cross-disciplinary R&D environment to ensure designs are fully integrated with other subsystems.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering discipline (Mechanical or Aerospace preferred).

• 5+ years of relevant experience in mechanical or mechanism design.

• Experience designing and building mechanical hardware.

• Demonstrated hands-on prototyping and testing experience.

• Proficiency in mechanical design using 3D modeling tools (CREO preferred).

• Understanding of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and experience performing tolerance stack analysis.

• Experience with standard manufacturing processes, assembly, integration, and hardware verification/qualification testing.

• Desire/Drive to learn new skills and technical tools as project develops.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with deployable structures, such as solar arrays or antennas.

• Familiarity with designing hardware for space or other harsh environments.

• Familiarity with aerospace mechanism design practices (e.g., NASA-STD-5017).

• Experience with composite materials in design.

• Knowledge of material, coating, lubricant, and bearing selection for vacuum environments.

• Experience using finite element analysis tools for static and dynamic analysis.

• Experience with setting up tests, using data acquisition systems, and processing test data.

Compensation Range for:

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

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