Sr. Quality Program Manager

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 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.

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.

The Quality Program Management Team is dedicated to ensuring quality requirements are met for each program within Blue Origin. The team works as a conduit of information from the program back to the site quality organizations.

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!

This role is part of the Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance team, which focuses on monitoring and assessing processes that guide Blue Origin design, manufacture, and operations, ensuring system safety engineering, environmental health and safety, product integrity, and continuous improvement processes serve the Blue Origin Mission and Vision. 

Primary Responsibilities

Program Quality Leadership

• Serve as the primary Quality focal point for program leadership and conduit between the program and functional/site Quality organizations.

• Develop, maintain, and execute the Program Quality Plan and Quality strategy across the product lifecycle.

• Present Quality status, metrics, risks, resource needs, and readiness to program and Quality leadership.

• Find opportunities for continuous improvement of quality processes and requirements, including the use of AI/analytics tools to support data trending and decision-making.

• Lead and support program-level risk boards, material review activities, corrective action boards, and resolution of systemic Quality issues.

Quality Strategy & Planning

• Establish and monitor Program Quality readiness criteria, risks, actions, and required artifacts at major development and production milestones.

• Provide program-level governance of APQP, ensuring the appropriate functions execute required product and process quality-planning activities.

• Develop and maintain the Program Quality staffing, capacity, inspection, equipment, and infrastructure strategy aligned with development builds and planned production-rate increases.

Manufacturing & Production Readiness

• Support manufacturing and production readiness, including process capability, inspection strategy, PFMEA/control planning, nonconformance management, corrective action, and rate-readiness activities through the responsible functional teams.

• Partner with Engineering and Product Quality to ensure design risks and Quality outputs are transitioned into supplier, manufacturing, inspection, and production-readiness activities.

Supplier Quality Integration

• Coordinate Quality input to supplier strategy, sourcing, supplier readiness, FAI/PPAP requirements, and supplier performance in partnership with Supplier Quality.

Cross-Functional Integration

• Integrate Design/Product Quality, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Quality, AI&T/Test Quality, receiving inspection, and production inspection activities to support program objectives.

• Drive cross-functional problem solving and accountability across a multi-function, multi-site program.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Quality, or a related technical discipline

• 8+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or other complex high-reliability hardware environments with at least 3 years in a quality engineering role

• Experience leading or integrating Quality for a complex hardware program across multiple functions and/or sites

• Experience supporting new product introduction and transitioning hardware from development through qualification and production

• Familiarity with AS9100 or ISO9000 Quality Management System and/or related quality systems and programs

• Well-versed in AI tools/applications for quality and process improvement, or demonstrated ability to quickly learn and apply them

• Working knowledge of APQP, FAI/PPAP, nonconformance/MRB, RCCA, and Quality metrics.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience supporting high-rate or high-volume spacecraft production.

• Experience transitioning a spacecraft program from development and qualification into serial production.

• Experience with spacecraft assembly, integration, and test (AI&T).

• Experience establishing or scaling Quality infrastructure to support significant production-rate increases.

• Experience with distributed supply chains and significant procured hardware content.

• Experience with AS9145, APQP, and PPAP.

• Familiarity with AS9100 or equivalent aerospace Quality Management System.

• Experience with automated manufacturing and/or inspection environments.

• American Society of Quality, Certified Quality Engineer certification

Base Pay Range for:

WA applicants is $145,188.00 - $203,263.20

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.