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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!  

Position Summary

The Senior Design Quality Engineer (DQE) serves as the quality lead for product development, ensuring quality is designed into the product from concept through production readiness. This role partners closely with Systems Engineering, Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supplier Quality, Reliability, System Safety, and Program Management to implement Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) principles and drive proactive risk identification and mitigation throughout the product lifecycle.

The DQE is responsible for facilitating cross-functional quality planning activities, ensuring technical quality deliverables are completed, and integrating quality requirements into engineering and manufacturing processes. While Design Engineering retains ownership of the engineering definition and design artifacts, the DQE provides governance, facilitation, and oversight of the APQP process to ensure readiness at each major program milestone.

Primary Responsibilities

APQP Leadership

• Facilitate implementation of the APQP process throughout the product lifecycle.
• Coordinate cross-functional APQP activities across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality, Reliability, System Safety, and Program Management.
• Develop and maintain APQP plans, schedules, and quality deliverable tracking.
• Monitor APQP readiness and identify risks to program milestones.
• Facilitate APQP readiness reviews and support gated lifecycle reviews.

Design Quality

• Facilitate Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) workshops.
• Ensure appropriate cross-functional participation in DFMEA development.
• Review DFMEAs for completeness, methodology, and action closure.
• Verify DFMEA outputs are incorporated into engineering definition, verification planning, PFMEAs, Control Plans, Inspection Plans, and manufacturing documentation.
• Support identification and review of Key Characteristics.
• Review engineering documentation for quality, manufacturability, inspectabilty, and production readiness considerations.

Risk Management

• Identify quality risks throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Facilitate risk identification and mitigation planning.
• Track quality action items through closure.
• Escalate unresolved quality risks affecting program execution or gate readiness.

Cross-Functional Integration

• Partner with Systems Engineering to ensure requirements are adequately addressed.
• Partner with Reliability and System Safety to integrate design risk assessments.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to support Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), PFMEA development, and Production Process Verification planning.
• Partner with Supplier Quality to support supplier APQP activities.
• Support transition from product development into production.

Continuous Improvement

• Support development of APQP procedures, templates, and governance.
• Capture lessons learned and incorporate them into future product development.
• Support development of design quality metrics and program health indicators.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting product development from concept through production.
• Experience leading cross-functional technical teams.
• Strong understanding of engineering drawings, GD&T, and product development processes.
• Working knowledge of configuration management and engineering change processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AIAG APQP or AS9145.
• Experience facilitating DFMEAs.
• Experience with PFMEAs and Control Plans.
• Experience supporting Design Reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR).
• Experience supporting Production Readiness Reviews.
• Experience with statistical methods, SPC, and Measurement System Analysis.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
• Experience with Model-Based Definition (MBD) and Digital Product Definition.

Key Competencies

• Product development quality
• Design risk management
• APQP leadership
• DFMEA facilitation
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Systems thinking
• Technical communication
• Root cause analysis
• Program execution
• Leadership without direct authority
• Continuous improvement

Success Measures

• APQP deliverables completed on schedule.
• DFMEA action items closed prior to program gates.
• Successful completion of quality gate criteria at SRR, PDR, CDR, PRR, and RPA.
• Effective integration of design quality outputs into downstream manufacturing activities.
• Reduction in design escapes identified during verification and production.
• Successful transition of products from development into production.

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 (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.

• 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.