Manufacturing Engineer - Tooling and GSE - TeraWave

Overview

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We are developing reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. This role is part of Tera Wave, a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth, serving tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations.

The Emerging Systems business unit is pioneering space-based communications with Tera Wave, a multi-orbit constellation designed to provide enterprise-grade connectivity worldwide. The project envisions 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in LEO and MEO to enable reliable operations globally.

As a Manufacturing Engineer focused on Tooling and Ground Support Equipment (GSE), you will own the mechanical and procedural backbone of our production line. You will ensure our advanced optical systems are designed for manufacturability (DFM/DFA) while designing, building, and qualifying the precision tooling required for assembly. This role is critical to transforming a prototype design into a reliable, high-yield production product by creating robust fixtures, process plans, and handling solutions.

Special Mentions: Travel expectations:
Up to 20% travel to supplier facilities and other Blue Origin sites.

• Design for Manufacturing (DFM) & Process Planning:
  Lead DFM/DFA reviews with the design team, driving changes to improve manufacturability, reduce assembly time, and increase production yield.
• Author and maintain detailed manufacturing process plans, including routers, travelers, and work instructions optimized for a high-volume production flow.
• Implement and monitor Statistical Process Control (SPC) for critical manufacturing and alignment processes to ensure process capability (Cpk).
• Tooling, Fixtures & GSE Design:
  Design and build the full suite of production tooling, including precision alignment nests, bondline gauges, shim kits, and custom fixtures.
• Develop and qualify all Ground Support Equipment (GSE) required for safe and efficient assembly, including handling/transport tooling and gimbal integration aids.
• Manage fixture tryouts and lead iterative design refinements to ensure tooling meets cycle time and yield targets.
• Coordinate with the quality team to perform dimensional metrology inspections and Gage R&R campaigns for all production tooling.
• Rapid Prototyping & Iterative Development:
  Lead rapid prototyping efforts across hardware, electronics, and software systems to validate design concepts early, establishing agile development processes that balance speed with appropriate fidelity while maintaining rigorous documentation.
• Create effective feedback loops between prototype testing results and system design, coordinating cross-functional teams to integrate and test full-scale prototypes that align with system requirements.
• Production Support &
  
  Qualification:
  
  Support root-cause investigations during development and production builds, implementing corrective actions for any process or tooling issues; collaborate with design and test teams to ensure tooling and handling GSE are compatible with environmental test setups (vibration, shock, TVAC); support First Article Inspection (FAI) activities and contribute to reliability documentation such as Process FMEA and Production Readiness Reviews (PRR).

• BS/MS in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering.
• 5+ years in a production-focused role involving tooling design and DFM/DFA for complex hardware systems (aerospace, medical, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated proficiency in DFM/DFA principles, GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and fixture/GSE design using a major CAD platform (PTC Creo or NX).
• Hands-on experience with manufacturing processes, fixture fabrication, and mechanical assembly.

• Experience in standing up a new production line or transitioning a product from prototype to production.
• Deep knowledge of ISO 9001/AS9100 quality systems, Process FMEA, and Production Part…