Sr Structural Analyst — New Glenn Stage 2

About this role

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 part of a hardworking team of engineers, designers, and specialists you will perform analysis of structural subsystems for New Glenn’s second stage using classic hand calculations as well as Finite Element Model (FEM) simulations to support design, manufacturing, and operations. A thorough understanding of structural analysis and load path is required as we strive for a weight-optimized design. In addition, you will be responsible for creating analysis documentation that is concise and accurate and for performing peer reviews of analysis and reports generated by other team members. You will also be expected to provide structural analysis guidance to design engineers as well as junior structural analysts. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your dedicated commitment and detailed attention toward safe and repeatable spaceflight.

As we transition from the initial design, release, and qualification testing of the flight hardware to the production and operational phase, you will be responsible for supporting production issues, ongoing testing, and mission operations. In this position you will: apply standard engineering techniques to collect, aggregate, and analyze data measuring the performance and reliability of aerospace systems and components to improve design, producibility, and efficiencies; evaluate and analyze structural systems to establish environments and ensure that hardware is appropriately specified for those environments; develop predictions of structural dynamic responses through a variety of analytical techniques, including hand calculations, FEA, and SEA, some of which may require the development of software tools to implement algorithms developed specifically for the application at hand; identify trends in technical performance or reliability and prepare reports detailing these trends as well as anticipated impact or cost to the organization. Improve and maintain current systems or create new systems; apply engineering techniques and analyses within the scope of the assignment.

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!

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Detailed hand calc and FEM analysis of primary and secondary aerospace structures for production support and sustainment initiatives

• Documentation of stress analysis to support release of engineering drawings / documents

• Deep understanding of repair methods and analytical practices for both metallic and composite structure

• Ability to perform technical assessment of damage or out-of-tolerance conditions and provide guidance on repair or use

• Providing technical guidance on design concepts (risk vs. cost vs. performance)

• Maintain and report on technical status

• Participate in subsystem test planning, execution, data reduction, and analysis

• Prepare technical content and present to internal and external customers

• Supporting cross-organizational teams with input for production activities and configuration development

• Analysis checks for designers and junior structural analysts in stress/stability/fracture analysis and best practices

• Improving enterprise analysis capabilities such as creating process automation tools for model creation, strength checks, and analysis report generation

Minimum Qualifications: • Minimum of a B.S. degree or higher in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or related field

• 8+ years of experience within the fields of aircraft, spacecraft, or launch vehicle structures

• Experience with analyzing / dispositioning non-conformances

• Complete hand calculations including free-body diagrams for internal and reaction load derivation

• Bolted joint calculations (bolt preload, joint stiffness, shear-tension interaction, insert pull-out, etc.)

• Knowledge of engineering materials and their applications to achieve optimal structures

• Strong experience with classical and aerospace analysis methods (Bruhn, Niu, Roark, Blodgett, Mark’s, Shigley, etc.)

• Demonstrated knowledge of vehicle load path and stress analysis of metallic and/or composite structures (pressure vessels, skin-stringer, fittings, sandwich panels, etc.)

• Demonstrated expertise with at least two of the following analysis codes: Ansys, Nastran, Optistruct, LS Dyna, Hypermesh, Hypersizer, NASGRO, Abaqus

• Demonstrated experience using scripting languages (VBA, Matlab, Python, FORTRAN, etc.)

• Understanding of FEM modeling techniques (boundary conditions, bolted connections, contact, verification methods, etc.)

• Mesh generation (e.g., mid-surfacing) and understanding of element types

• Analysis of stability-critical structures (local buckling phenomenon, global buckling, crippling)

• Experience with development and/or qualification testing (test requirements, setup/configuration, test predictions, test conduct/monitoring, etc.)

• Able to effectively communicate and collaborate across a varied team

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications: • M.S. degree in engineering

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