Sr. GNC Manager, Mk1 Lunar Lander

Application close date:

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!

As part of a hardworking team of specialists, technicians, and engineers , you will serve as the single threaded leader for the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) team for the Mk1 vehicle reporting to the vehicle program director. You will be accountable for people management, development and delivery of flight hardware, development and delivery of GNC flight software, and accuracy and efficiency of GNC analysis products.

Team Management: You will directly manage a team who focuses on guidance, navigation, and control of the Mk1 vehicle. You will take ownership of the people, processes, and tools crucial for the outstanding performance in these subject domains. Using your excellent skills as a communicator, listener, and empathetic leader, you will lead the effort of encouraging and growing, rightsized workforce; supervising performance, merits, and promotions; shepherding team members’ careers through mentorship, opportunity matching, and technical development. Tapping into your expertise in GN&C, you will assure that your team’s work products meet domain quality standards. You will ensure benchmarking the team’s standards and tools with other Blue Origin business units and with industry trends.

Technical Contribution: You will provide broad and deep GN&C domain expertise to ensure the technical product meets program requirements and expectations. You will lead and approve GN&C subsystem-level technical design decisions, as well as collaborate with other subsystem teams to ensure design coordination to meet the vehicle performance requirements. You will provide technical leadership to identify, assess, and mitigate GN&C subsystem risks. You will provide engineering leadership and mentoring to coordinate subsystem level design, analysis, and testing throughout development, verification, delivery, and operation.

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

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Hire staff that continually raises the bar of performance
• Coach and mentoring staff in their technical growth and communication development as well as in the quality and timeliness of the delivered products
• Make technical, programmatic, and personnel decisions quickly using quantitative metrics
• Be resourceful in execution and finding ways to automate or streamline work scope
• Develop and manage subsystem-level budgets and schedule while taking calculated risks to accelerate development by failing fast and iterating
• Actively integrating with all other subsystems to create efficient and integrated technical solutions
• Establish subsystem priorities as flowed down from company, business unit, and vehicle level objectives
• Review and impact engineering changes, variances, non-conformances, problem reports, action items, etc.
• Develop strategic plans that best leverage capabilities and hardware common across Blue Origin vehicles
• Author reports, define plans, and clearly describe technical problems and solutions to leadership

Minimum Qualifications:

• M.S. degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical engineering or related subject areas with at least 10 years of design experience
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge in the development of spacecraft GN&C systems
• Experience in full development lifecycle of GN&C subsystem on at least one aerospace program
• Extensive experience in development and analysis of GN&C algorithms and flight software
• Experience in development and testing of navigation sensors and control actuators
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with development of rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking missions
• Experience in development of bottoms-up staffing plans, labor and hardware cost estimates, and end-to-end schedules starting with conceptual design and ending with hardware/software flight certification
• Experience in personnel management, including performance management, career growth, and clear establishment of individual and team expectations and goals
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Highly organized and capable of guiding complex technical work
• Ability to execute in a dynamic, fast-paced, and driven work environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical engineering or related subject areas
• Demonstrated experience leading full development lifecycle of GN&C subsystem in at least one aerospace program
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge in the development of planetary spacecraft GN&C systems
• Experience with NASA certification of flight readiness process for a new system
• Experience working on large complex programs with multiple partners
• Experience with Trick and Core Flight System

Base Pay Range for:

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

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.

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 U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue’s 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 10,001 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 company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's 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 Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.