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Senior Director, Launch Vehicle Development - New Glenn Stage 1

Blue Origin
life insurance, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, 401(k)
United States, Washington, Seattle
Aug 21, 2025

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 supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable.

As the Senior Director of the New Glenn Stage 1 Program, you will report to the Vice President of Reusable Orbital Booster Programs and lead the design, qualification, and production of development articles for the New Glenn Stage 1 variant. These upgrades aim to enhance performance, reduce cost, improve producibility, and drive improvements across other key program metrics.

This leadership position will support all aspects of technical and programmatic management which includes cost, schedule, technical design, and risk management, while also working with Blue Origin internal organizations to execute operations scope.This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your dedicated commitment and attention towards safe and reliable spaceflight.

Responsibilities:

  • Manage a multidisciplinary team consisting of engineering, supply chain, manufacturing/tooling, program management, finance, and other functions who are responsible for designing, developing, qualifying, and producing the New Glenn Stage 1 variant.
  • Drive decisions and a team culture that optimizes for rapid iterative design/build cycles that iteratively archives aggressive performance and cost requirements.
  • Develop and drive cost, mass, and performance targets decomposed at the vehicle, module, system, component, and part number levels
  • Drive design for producibility, operability, and cost as key program metrics
  • Develop and manage the program's integrated master schedule and associated budgets (recurring/non-recurring including labor/non-labor)
  • Laisse with leadership from supporting and adjacent stakeholder organizations to ensure the program is appropriately supported across all phases of the value chain
  • Serve as the single threaded leader for the New Glenn Stage 1 variant in all internal/external executive reviews.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • B.S. in an Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering-related field, with 15+ years of complex product development experience.
  • Program and technical leadership experience in an aerospace development environment with experience in full lifecycle development of aerospace systems, designing, deploying, and supporting one or more complete flight systems.
  • Demonstrated experience delivering complex multifunctional aerospace systems
  • Highly organized leader with excellent technical written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated track record of resourcefulness, strong business and technical judgement and bias for action from their previous assignments.
  • Successful experience in hiring and developing great people with varied skill sets and demonstrated ability to motivate and organize effective teams and resolve conflicts.
  • Comfortable working in a fast paced, dynamic work environment and ability to travel in support of the program, customer, and supplier activities.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • MBA, Program Management Professional (PMP) certification and Earned Value Management System (EVMS) experience. Experience with critical path scheduling, IMP/IMS, risk management, requirements management and Cost Account Management such as EVM.
  • M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Systems Engineering and experience with launch vehicle development, production, and operations.
  • Experience with verification, integration, and test, of orbital launch vehicles or human rated spacecraft.
  • Strong business management acumen and experience managing large, geographically dispersed programs.

Compensation Range for:

WA applicants is $246,483.00-$345,076.20

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 (CDL drivers only), 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.

  • Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

  • Discretionary bonus: Bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.

  • Eligibility for benefits varies by role type, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role.

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

California Applicant Privacy Notice

If you are a California resident, please reference the CA Applicant Privacy Notice here.

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