Sr. Automation Project Engineer

About Blue Origin  

Blue Origin is a spaceflight and exploration company founded on the belief that humanity's future depends on our ability to live and work in space. We are working to lower the cost of access to space through reusable launch vehicles and in-space systems, enabling a future where millions of people live and work in space. We value curiosity, passion, integrity, and a relentless drive to achieve our mission. Blue Origin is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  

About This Role  

Honeybee Robotics, a member of the Blue Origin family of companies, has been at the forefront of robotics for over 40 years. Our Colorado-based Motion Control Business Unit designs, manufactures, and tests high-performance motion control components and integrated solutions — from actuators and gearboxes to motors and precision control systems — for NASA, defense, and commercial programs, including NASA's Artemis I Mission and the Roman Space Telescope. 

This role resides within the Honeybee Robotics Motion Control Business Unit, supporting Blue Origin's Factory Automation team — the in-house automation integrator within Advanced Manufacturing responsible for designing, building, and deploying custom equipment and systems that enable scalable, repeatable production. We build manufacturing capability from the ground up, developing automated solutions that directly drive the delivery of Blue Origin's products across current and future programs. 

We are looking for an experienced Project Engineer who brings a foundation of hands-on technical experience in mechanical and/or controls engineering for industrial automation — coupled with the leadership experience to drive complex projects from requirements through delivered, production-ready systems. This is not a conceptual or R&D role: the right candidate has demonstrated experience delivering automated manufacturing systems that run in production. We are looking for engineers who understand the why behind the systems they build — who reason from first principles, challenge requirements that complicate scalable automation, and advocate for designs that enable repeatable, efficient manufacturing. A passion for our mission — and for the discipline of building systems that work — is essential. 

Responsibilities  

• Engage internal customers to define, document, and validate system requirements for automated manufacturing solutions  

• Develop conceptual simulations and cycle time models of individual machines and production lines to evaluate and recommend optimal automation strategies and production line architectures  

• Develop initial conceptual solutions for automated manufacturing equipment; present solutions and justifications to customer stakeholders and refine approaches based on feedback  

• Lead Design for Automated Manufacturing initiatives with product design teams; recommend product modifications to improve automated manufacturability and reduce system complexity  

• Prepare cost estimates, labor-hour projections, and project schedules for proposed automation solutions; develop scope of work documents for individual machinery for delivery to internal customers  

• Own project execution from requirements definition through commissioning, maintaining schedule, budget, and scope alignment throughout the project lifecycle  

• Maintain comprehensive technical knowledge of assigned projects; serve as the primary point of accountability for system requirements, design decisions, and project status  

• Identify and evaluate automation component suppliers, support procurement and sourcing decisions  

• Collaborate with engineering teams during detailed design; provide technical clarification and maintain alignment with conceptual intent  

Minimum Qualifications  

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls, Mechatronics, or related engineering field  

• Minimum 5 years of hands-on technical experience in the design, build, and commissioning of automated manufacturing systems, including minimum 2 years in a project management, technical lead, or equivalent leadership role on capital equipment or automation projects  

• Hands-on technical experience in industrial automation — including mechanical design, controls engineering, or both — sufficient to lead engineering teams, evaluate technical feasibility, and make informed design decisions without relying solely on analysis or simulation  

• Experience with automation simulation and cycle time analysis using tools such as Process Simulate, Visual Components, FlexSim, or similar  

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum  

Preferred Qualifications  

• Familiarity with PLC, CNC, and robot programming concepts and limitations sufficient to evaluate technical feasibility and communicate effectively with controls engineers  

• Experience with varied industrial automation applications including welding, machining, drilling, surface finishing, forming, material handling, NDT, metrology, machine vision, and similar  

• PMP certification or formal project management training  

• Experience developing capital project budgets and cost models for automation systems, including vendor quote analysis and should-cost modeling  

• Experience developing scope of work documents, RFQs, or technical specifications for procurement of automation sub-systems, components, devices, and equipment from external suppliers in support of internally developed and integrated automation solutions  

• Demonstrated ability to apply engineering first principles — including mechanics, control theory, and systems thinking — to evaluate automation feasibility, identify root causes, and develop technically sound solutions to novel manufacturing challenges  

Don't have all the listed qualifications? Blue Origin is committed to building a mixed team. If you meet the basic qualifications and are excited about this role, we encourage you to apply.