Sr Director, Launch Vehicles

Blue Origin · Space Coast

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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!  

New Glenn's launch cadence is set as much by how fast and how well we prepare each vehicle as by anything else. As Senior Director for Launch Vehicles, you will own the technical strategy, operational execution, and organizational leadership for every team that turns a flown or newly built booster, second stage, and payload into a rocket ready to fly. Reporting to the Vice President of Launch Operations, you will lead the functions that refurbish and inspect flown boosters, integrate booster and second stage, attach and prepare payloads, and stand up our new vertical vehicle integration capability as we bring Blue Origin's larger next-generation vehicle online, building on the lessons learned from today's horizontal integration operations. 

This is a mission-critical leadership role for Blue Origin. We need a leader who drives relentlessly toward results, unencumbered by the old way of doing things, and constantly inventing new ways to solve problems and perform our mission. This leader must not be afraid to get hands-on with engineers and technicians on the vehicle itself when the mission requires it, including in the middle of the night. At the same time, your long-term measure of success is building the people, processes, and discipline that empower the Launch Operations vehicle teams to operate at a fast, repeatable, "boring" cadence. You'll make the impossible look routine through detailed, quantitative, hands-on command of the work your team executes down to the individual work order. 

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Own the Technical Strategy for Vehicle Preparation 

• Own the technical strategy and standards for refurbishing, integrating, and preparing all New Glenn vehicles (booster, second stage, and payload) for launch 

• Architect the roadmap for a new vertical vehicle integration capability to support Blue Origin's larger next-generation vehicle, building on the lessons learned from today's horizontal integration operations 

• Set and enforce the standard for high-quality, executable work orders (clear, sequenced, measurable, and completable by shift) so launch readiness is derived from objective data 

• Partner with vehicle design and engineering teams to challenge requirements and drive design changes that make the vehicle easier, faster, and safer to build, inspect, and refurbish 

Lead Full Lifecycle Execution Across Vehicle Preparation 

• Oversee the complete lifecycle of vehicle preparation: inspection, refurbishment, and re-certification of flown boosters; integration of booster and second stage; and attachment of payloads to the stacked vehicle 

• Provide technical and operational authority across booster refurbishment, vehicle integration, payload attachment, and vertical integration functions, ensuring rigor and consistency across all of them 

• Manage technical and schedule risk across the vehicle preparation portfolio; when schedule slips, personally own and drive the recovery plan rather than simply reporting the slip 

• Perpetuate a high-standard safety culture across all vehicle preparation work, given the significant personnel, process, and material hazards involved 

• Be willing to get on the ground with engineers and technicians to solve problems directly on the vehicle, at any hour, when the mission requires it 

Drive Cross-Functional Integration 

• Serve as the primary point of contact between vehicle preparation functions and New Glenn vehicle design/engineering, pad, and recovery leadership 

• Partner with the business operations function (scheduling and operations analytics) to maintain an objective, data-driven view of remaining work and schedule risk 

• Build the organization's own engineering ownership and judgment over time, reducing reliance on borrowed engineering support from other Blue Origin programs 

Build and Lead a High-Performing Organization 

• Build, mentor, and develop a bench of leaders and engineers capable of running vehicle preparation at a much higher rate than today, in a fast-growing organization 

• Take difficult, immature processes and mature them into fast, repeatable operations that don't require nightly heroics to execute 

• Foster a culture where every technician and engineer is genuinely excited about Blue Origin's mission and understands the "why" behind the work 

• Champion the use of AI to reduce engineering workload (including work-order authoring) and to accelerate the ramp of less experienced engineers 

Deliver Results 

• Use your own data and numerical analysis to understand team performance, drive decisions, and communicate progress 

• Present vehicle readiness, risk, and recovery plans with clarity and confidence to Blue Origin's most senior executive leadership, including with little to no coaching 

• Drive measurable improvement in vehicle turnaround time, refurbishment capacity, and launch readiness as Blue Origin ramps toward a much higher launch cadence 

WHAT YOU'LL BRING 

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Industrial Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience building and leading complex vehicle or aircraft programs 

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience building, integrating, or maintaining complex vehicles, aircraft, or other high-reliability systems — aerospace, defense, marine, oil & gas, or similar heavy/complex-machine environments 

• Senior leadership experience with budget and resource management responsibility for technical/operational organizations 

• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams at scale, including leadership through subordinate managers/directors 

• A specific, demonstrated track record of driving measurable rate or throughput improvements in a complex manufacturing, assembly, or operations environment 

• A demonstrated track record of building and perpetuating a high-standard safety culture in environments with significant personnel, process, or material hazards 

• Demonstrated ability to make high-stakes technical and operational decisions under schedule pressure 

• Strong executive presence with excellent written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, including senior executive leadership 

• Strategic thinker with a bias for action and a track record of hands-on operational execution 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Direct experience in final assembly, integration, or maintenance of military or civilian aircraft, weapons systems, or launch vehicles 

• Full lifecycle experience in vehicle assembly, integration, test, or manufacturing — from requirements through production 

• A track record of taking a new vehicle, aircraft, or complex product from first-unit production to rate production 

• Hands-on experience as an aircraft mechanic (or similar trade) and/or as a manufacturing engineer 

• Working knowledge of aerospace standards and workmanship requirements 

• A demonstrated track record of challenging engineering requirements and successfully driving design changes to improve manufacturability or maintainability 

• Experience building or scaling an engineering/technical organization from a nascent, dependent state to self-sufficiency 

• Master's degree in a related engineering field, or an MBA 

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.

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