Director Manufacturing, Ops & Assembly Electric Propulsion

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. Were 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 Operations which is comprised of Integrated Supply Chain Test Operations Safety Quality and Mission Assurance. This includes Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities.

We are a team of collaborators doers and problem-solvers who are relentlessly committed to a culture of safety. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and require your commitment and detailed attention toward safe and repeatable space flight. Join us in lowering the cost of access to space and enabling Blue Origins vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise leadership skills and commitment to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Blue Origin is scaling production of its electric propulsion systems. We are hiring a Director to own the manufacturing outcome for that product line and to carry it from development hardware into rate production.

You will be the single-threaded leader for Operations of this program: one person accountable for rate quality cost and people with full authority over the entire in-program production flow.

This is a build-it role not a run-it role. You will define the value streams stand up integration with support organizations and build the team that runs the line working concurrently with an active design program rather than behind a frozen one.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Own the strategy roadmap and priorities for successful manufacturing outcomes of the electric propulsion thruster line delivery rate quality cost and the people who produce it.
• Build the production organization. Define the value streams stand up production control and manufacturing engineering and hire and develop the leadership beneath you as the program scales.
• Own the get-to-rate plan. Define the path from development build to sustained rate production and demonstrate cycle time at the rate-readiness gate as a committed acceptance number rather than a projection.
• Lead the transition from development build into rate production including the qualification of tooling processes and work instructions required to produce repeatably at rate.
• Drive producibility into the product during design rather than absorbing it on the floor later. Own the manufacturing view of the bill of materials as the product configuration evolves.
• Establish and own the programs working interfaces with quality supply chain material planning and test operations.
• Build and manage the programs manufacturing operating budget and capital plan owning responsibility for product delivery at cost and rate.
• Set the safety and quality culture for a new production team and hold it as the organization grows.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in an engineering or technical discipline.
• 12 years of experience in manufacturing production supply chain or operations including 5 years leading manufacturing organizations.
• Direct hands-on experience taking a new product or production line from development into rate production.
• Experience carrying a product through a production-readiness or rate-readiness gate and owning the cycle-time and capability evidence presented at it.
• Experience building an organization defining structure hiring leaders and developing a team through significant growth.
• Line management of both salaried professionals and craft or technician populations.
• Demonstrated ability to operate in ambiguity: making defensible assumptions and moving forward on an incomplete definition then correcting as information arrives.
• Ability to travel frequently up to approximately 35% to other Blue Origin sites.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder) or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15 years of manufacturing and operations experience.
• Propulsion spacecraft satellite or other high-reliability low-volume hardware experience.
• Experience transitioning a product from low-volume high-mix build into repeatable rate production.
• Demonstrated cycle-time or throughput improvement with measured results.
• Experience standing up production at a new or greenfield manufacturing site.
• Experience managing a build against a bill of materials that changed materially during production ramp.
• Formal lean or continuous-improvement training with applied results on a production line.
• Masters degree in engineering or technical field or MBA.

Base Pay Range for:

WA applicants is $203165.00 - $284430.30

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Dont 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 youre excited about this role but your past experience doesnt 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.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder) or lawfully admitted into the a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blues Standard Background Check
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding) Road Test Hours of Service Drug and Alcohol Testing vehicle inspection requirements CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Benefits

• Benefits include: Medical dental vision basic and supplemental life insurance paid parental leave short and long-term disability 401(k) with a company match of up to 5% and an Education Support Program.
• Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
• Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
• Dependent on role type and job level employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the companys intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the companys results or other factors at the companys sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting retaining and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications performance and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust equality and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire promotion and other terms and conditions of employment regardless of their race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin/ethnicity age physical or mental disability genetic factors military/veteran status or any other status or characteristic protected by federal state and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal state and local laws including the Washington Fair Chance Act the California Fair Chance Act the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance and other applicable laws. For more information on Know Your Rights please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origins Affirmative Action Plans or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process please contact us at . Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.

Required Experience:

Director