Senior Mechanical Engineer - Structural Analysis

Senior Mechanical Engineer – Structural Analysis

Join Blue Origin’s Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE) team, where you will lead structural verification for lightweight, deployable space hardware. You will turn requirements into robust architectures with clear margins, drive analysis and test correlation across relevant environments, and collaborate with Manufacturing to ensure producibility, safe handling, and traceable flight readiness.

• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 25% of the time

• Perform structural analysis for deployable mechanisms across concept, design, test, and flight certification: static, modal, random/sine vibration, shock, acoustic; establish margins
• Build, validate, and maintain finite element models including contact, geometric nonlinearity, buckling, fatigue, fracture risk, transient deployment dynamics, etc.
• Develop loads and environments (acoustic, random vibration, shock, etc.); derive requirements and margins; author structural verification plans
• Develop load paths and stiffness requirements for panels, frames, harness routing, and mechanisms; drive mass optimization while meeting stiffness/frequency/life/reliability requirements
• Analyze Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer/Plastic/metallic hybrid structures; material allowables, joints/adhesives, fastener design
• Execute dynamic analysis for deployment events; flexible-body multibody dynamics, hinge friction/stiction, latching shock, damping, and tip-off/energy management
• Perform tolerance stack and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing assessments impacting structural performance and deployment
• Support qualification test planning and execution; define test levels, fixtures, instrumentation, and correlation strategy
• Reduce and correlate test data to models; update allowables and model fidelity
• Provide inputs to thermal‑structural coupling and deployment dynamics teams
• Author analysis reports for program reviews; sign off drawings and change requests
• Collaborate with Manufacturing on DFM constraints, handling loads, and tooling stiffness
• Mentor junior engineers; perform peer reviews; provide best practice guidance
• Work effectively in a scrappy cross‑disciplinary R&D environment with a geographically distributed team

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent)
• 8+ years of structural analysis for aerospace hardware
• Experience in relevant FEA tools (NASTRAN, Abaqus, ANSYS, Hyper Mesh) for static, modal, random/sine vibration, shock, acoustic
• Experience in CFRP/metal hybrid analysis: laminate theory, allowables, bonded/bolted joints, fastener design
• Proficiency in FEM modeling techniques (boundary conditions, bolted connections, contact, verification methods)
• Experience generating loads/environments and deriving structural requirements/margins
• Test planning (levels, fixtures, instrumentation) and correlation experience

• MS in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent)
• Experience with composite failure criteria, bearing/bypass/net‑tension methods
• Acoustic/shock environments experience; thermal‑structural coupling and deployment dynamics inputs
• Drawing sign‑off authority and CR disposition experience
• Experience testing materials, joints, components and systems
• Experience with Creo and Windchill
• Experience with manufacturing methods, material selection, testing, characterization & allowable development

CA applicants: $ – $
CO applicants: $ – $
WA applicants: $ – $
Other site ranges may differ

• Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long‑term disability, 401(k) match up to 5%, Education Support Program
• Paid Time Off: up to four (4) weeks per year and up to 14 company‑paid holidays
• Potential bonuses based on company discretion; bonus amounts not guaranteed

Blue Origin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We hire and promote based on qualifications, performance, and abilities, supporting a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. All qualified applicants receive equal employment opportunities.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation may contact

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or granted asylum.

• Blue’s Standard Background Check required for all positions
• DBIDS background check required for certain job profiles on military installations
• Driver qualifications and hazardous materials transport requirements may apply for certain job profiles
• Merchant Mariner Credential may be required for certain job profiles