University Partnerships Lead

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 Blue Origin corporate functions, providing centralized support across Blue Origin business unit teams, functions, and locations.

Blue Origin's early career strategy is evolving - from showing up on campus to being embedded in it. As the University Partnerships Lead, you will serve as the single-threaded leader responsible for building the institutional depth that makes Blue Origin indispensable to the academic communities producing our next generation of engineers, operators, and leaders.

This is not a recruiting coordination role. It is a strategic leadership position at the intersection of talent, research, and academic influence - operating with principal-level scope, driving outcomes without requiring direction, and delivering results tied to Blue Origin's long-term technical and business roadmap.

• Own and evolve Blue Origin's university partnership strategy, including portfolio governance, school tiering, engagement frameworks, and investment evaluation
• Lead the Blue Scholars program end-to-end - a CEO-championed initiative embedding world-class faculty into Blue Origin technical teams - including faculty selection, funding model design, legal and IP coordination, and talent pipeline conversion
• Build and maintain a unified view of Blue Origin's sponsored research investments, connecting active engagements to workforce planning priorities and maintaining proactive pipelines of PhD and postdoc talent within funded research groups
• Own the hiring architecture for MBA and PhD pipelines, including institutional relationships, on-campus presence, candidate routing, and centralized intake infrastructure
• Lead a feasibility study on a Blue Origin PhD fellowship program, including funding models, IP frameworks, and conversion pathway design
• Manage advisory board strategy at target institutions and serve as Blue Origin's primary liaison to academic leadership - deans, department chairs, and research directors
• Serve as the front door for institutional partnership requests, including letters of support, grant collaborations, and novel engagement opportunities
• Partner with Campus Engagement, Early Career Programs, and senior technical leaders to ensure complementary, non-duplicative ownership across the university portfolio
• Deliver regular reporting on partnership outcomes, pipeline health, and investment ROI to executive leadership

• Bachelor's degree or 10 years of equivalent experience
• 7+ years in university recruiting, academic partnerships, research program management, or early talent strategy
• Proven ability to build and sustain relationships with academic and senior internal leadership
• Deep understanding of university research structures, sponsored research mechanisms, and faculty engagement models
• Experience influencing compensation frameworks or talent integration models for specialized technical populations
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level presentations
• Ability to define strategy independently in ambiguous, high-visibility environments
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI tools to enhance productivity, accelerate research, and improve the quality of strategic work product; comfort operating in an environment where AI fluency is an expectation, not an advantage

• Experience scaling a university research partnership, fellowship, or faculty engagement program at a technology or aerospace company
• Familiarity with sponsored research contracting and university IP frameworks
• Experience with highly selective graduate leadership programs such as MIT LGO or peer institutions
• Track record of translating academic investment into measurable recruiting pipeline outcomes
• Deep technical fluency in aerospace or engineering domains
• Passion for Blue Origin's mission and a genuine belief in the long-term strategic value of academic investment

Base Pay Range for:

WA applicants is $ - $

Other site ranges may differ

Don't meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent…