Propulsion Engineer III – Turbomachinery

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 the Blue Origin Engines business unit, where our focus is the design, development, manufacturing, and testing of engines and propulsion systems. Built for multiple uses, our family of engines is powering the next generation of rockets for commercial, civil, national security, and human spaceflight.

As part of our hardworking team of engineers, you will design the mechanical auxiliary and driveline systems that connect our large-scale turbomachinery to the equipment it drives. You will own the design of shaft couplings, bearing integration, gear units, lubrication and seal support systems, and structural mounting — creating and releasing the drawings and models that turn architecture into hardware. This position is integral to the success of our missions and requires strong rotating-equipment mechanical-design fundamentals.

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!

Special Mentions

• Relocation provided

• Travel expected up to 20% of the time

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Own the mechanical design of the auxiliary and driveline systems supporting large-scale turbomachinery development and testing

• Responsible for design and development of shaft couplings, bearing housings and integration, speed-reduction gear units, bearing fluid lubrication systems, seal support systems, mounting and structural support systems — from concept through hardware implementation and test.

• Lead the driveline architecture trades: rigid versus flexible coupling, direct drive versus an intermediate / quill shaft with its own bearings versus a reduction gear unit; document the decisions and their rationale.

• Create and release engineering drawings, 3D models, and specifications in CAD (NX or Creo) and the PLM system (Windchill), applying GD&T per ASME Y14.5.

• Perform and direct tolerance stack-ups, fit / clearance definition, and alignment analysis for the rotating-equipment train.

• Integrate the bearing system into the driveline design — housings, fits, instrumentation provisions, and assembly — in close collaboration with bearing subject-matter experts.

• Serve as the prime mechanical-design interface to external vendors (coupling, bearing, gear-unit, and driven-equipment suppliers): own the interface control documents, evaluate proposals, and drive technical alignment.

• Interface with the core turbomachinery team on rotordynamics and bearing loads so that coupling, bearing, and shaft-train requirements are correctly captured and met.

• Contribute to detailed trade studies that result in selecting optimal mission-suitable subsystem hardware.

• Support hardware build, assembly, acceptance testing, alignment, and anomaly investigation for auxiliary-systems components; provide engineering dispositions for non-conforming hardware.

• Develop and maintain design requirements and documentation; contribute technical artifacts to subsystem and program gated reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR).

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in the mechanical design of rotating equipment or drivetrain hardware (couplings, bearings, gear units, shaft systems, or comparable rotating-machinery mechanical systems).

• Proficiency in 3D CAD (NX, Creo, or equivalent) and engineering drawing release.

• Working knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T, ASME Y14.5) and tolerance stack-up analysis.

• Demonstrated ownership of hardware through at least one complete design, build, and test cycle.

• Experience working in cross-disciplinary engineering teams.

• A track record of taking ownership, showing resilience in the face of challenges, and consistently delivering results.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of relevant industry experience.

• Experience working in aerospace.

• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.

• Experience designing high-speed shaft couplings (flexible disc / diaphragm, rigid, or intermediate / quill-shaft) for rotating-equipment trains.

• Experience integrating journal and thrust bearings (tilting-pad and other fluid-film types) into rotating machinery.

• Experience with speed-reduction gear units for high-speed rotating equipment (e.g., AGMA 6011 / API 613 class gear drives).

• Experience with lubrication systems and seal support systems for rotating equipment.

• Familiarity with applicable rotating-equipment industry standards (e.g., API 671 couplings, API 614 lubrication, API 670 / 684 machinery protection and rotordynamics).

• Rotordynamics literacy (lateral and torsional critical speeds, shaft-train coupling) sufficient to define driveline requirements.

• Experience with structural mounting / support design and field alignment of rotating-equipment trains.

• Mechanical design experience with rotating equipment in any oil & gas, aerospace, or similar turbomachinery.

• Demonstrated use of — or genuine enthusiasm to adopt — modern AI-assisted engineering tools (e.g., LLM-based design / analysis / scripting assistants integrated into the daily development environment).

• Experience with LabVIEW and MATLAB.

Base Pay Range for:

WA applicants is $121,023.00 - $169,432.20

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 EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.