Electric Propulsion Test Engineer III - Propellant Feed System Test Stations

Overview

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. The role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which focuses on space infrastructure and increasing mobility on-orbit. The Tera Wave propulsion team develops Hall thruster-based propulsion systems to maneuver the Tera Wave constellation satellites.

Tera Wave is a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth, serving enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations.

As a Test Engineer III, you will support the development of the propulsion team’s facilities for development and production acceptance testing. You will own the design and construction of the team’s development test stations and work with propulsion team members to execute testing that informs the propulsion systems development. Candidates will use aerospace testing experience to design, assemble, and validate test stations and test plans for product development and high-rate production.

A preferred candidate will have experience in electric propulsion system and subsystem testing at production rates, including experience in safely executing high-pressure testing and low-pressure flow system testing for propulsion systems.

If you share our passion for propulsion system development and testing, thrive in a dynamic startup environment, excel on integrated cross-functional teams, are experienced and skilled in several relevant technologies listed below, continuously seek to learn and improve, and do not allow titles or job descriptions to limit your contributions, we would love to hear from you.

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

• Design, procure, assemble, and operate propulsion development test facilities for system and subsystem-level tests.
• Document and lead discussions of test results, conclusions, and recommended path forward for test and test article development.
• Coordinate with equipment suppliers and Blue Origin facilities on delivery of large and long lead test equipment requiring detailed facility layouts and specialized facility infrastructure.
• Work closely with mechanical design and manufacturing team members to provide Design for Test insight in test article design reviews.
• Author test plans, test procedures, and test software for high quality and, where appropriate, automated testing.
• Develop practices for test data aggregation, statistical process control, and data visualization with scalability to high-rate production.
• Conduct test station design reviews and test readiness reviews for your tests.
• Define test requirements and objectives, ensuring effective characterization of system development and coverage of product requirements.
• Identify, communicate, and mitigate cost, schedule, and technical risks.
• Plan scaling activities for development and production test capacity to support concurrent high-rate production and sustained, continuous product improvement.

• Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Physics, Systems Engineering, or related technical subject area.
• 5+ years of career experience in propulsion system development, production, and test.
• Experience working with flight hardware in a production facility, or laboratory.
• Working knowledge of electric propulsion (e.g., ion, Hall-effect) principles and test practices.
• Demonstrated experience in the creation and commissioning of development or production test stations for high pressure assemblies and low pressure flow systems for propulsion systems.
• Experience working safely with compressed gasses, high pressure test systems, vacuum chambers, and high voltage assemblies.
• Ability to communicate clearly and appropriately at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to earn trust,…