Civil Engineer: Launch Sites Development

Employer description

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 is part of Blue Origin Operations, which is comprised of Integrated Supply Chain, Test Operations, Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance. This includes Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities.

Blue Origin is building the next generation of orbital launch infrastructure, and the Western Range is where our next chapter gets written. A launch site is a lot more than a pad: it’s roads, utilities, water and power, port and wharf access, integration and support facilities, and the connective tissue that lets the whole operation run. This is a civil engineering role for someone who wants to own that connective tissue from the front end, walking candidate ground, finding the constraints before they find you, shaping the conceptual design, and driving the early coordination with the agencies and A/E partners who will decide how it gets built.

You’ll own civil planning and conceptual site design for the operational infrastructure that stands up a launch site. You’ll build the early site layouts, surface the geotech and hydrology and environmental issues before they turn into schedule, and set the technical direction the A/E takes into design development.

This is not a construction-management seat. Most of what you touch isn’t under construction yet. The decisions you’re making are the ones that lock in what construction will look like two years from now, and the decisions that are hardest to walk back once the design catches up to them.

We’re looking for someone who:

Treats a site walk as a chance to learn something the desk version can’t show youIs comfortable making decisions with incomplete information, then refining as the picture clearsHas been through enough of a design cycle to know where the hard problems hideWants to be in the room when we decide where everything goes and how it all talks to each otherKey Responsibilities:

Lead civil planning and conceptual site design for launch site operational infrastructure: roads, utilities, drainage, port and wharf access, integration and support facilities, laydown and staging, and the civil scope that ties them togetherSupport site evaluation and due diligence. Walk the ground, evaluate constraints (geotechnical, hydrology, flood, environmental, utilities, access), and build the case for or against candidate layoutsDrive early coordination with A/E partners. Shape technical scope, set direction, review schematic and design-development deliverables, resolve cross-discipline conflicts at the stage where they’re cheap to resolveSupport environmental planning and regulatory compliance: NEPA Environmental Assessments, environmental surveys, impact analyses, agency coordination (Space Force, FAA, state and local jurisdictions)Produce sketch-level and spot-check civil design in AutoCAD Civil 3D to support fast turns on tie-ins, feasibility studies, and alternatives analysisCoordinate with adjacent disciplines (structural, mechanical, electrical, fluids, geotech) to keep the multi-disciplinary picture coherent as the design maturesHelp develop statements of work and technical scope for civil design, planning, and site evaluation activitiesUse BIM workflows to keep site and facility design coordinated across disciplinesIdentify project risks early, surface them, and drive them to closureBe in the field when the field needs you: site walks, agency meetings, early construction observation as projects progressRequired Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related engineering discipline3+ years of professional experience in civil engineering design, planning, or site development (grading, drainage, utilities, roadways)Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3DWillingness to travel to candidate and active sites: frequent day trips and the occasional longer stintStrong communication: written, verbal, and the kind where you have to make the case for a site decision to a room that doesn’t start out agreeingComfortable rapidly changing roles and priorities in a high-paced, ambiguous environmentMust be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (current Green Card holder)Ability to obtain and maintain badging at government installations (Vandenberg SFB)Ability to perform hands-on field work in heat, cold, rain, tight quarters, or at heightsPreferred Qualifications

Direct experience working at or with Vandenberg SFB, Western Range operations, or 30th Space Wing / Space Launch Delta 30 coordinationEIT certificate or Professional Engineer (PE) license, or actively pursuingExperience with site identification, due diligence, or front-end planning for aerospace, industrial, defense, or other heavy infrastructure projectsOwner’s-rep experience: sitting on the sponsor side of A/E design contracts, driving deliverables from concept through schematicWorking knowledge of adjacent disciplines (electrical, geotechnical, structural, surveying, piping) sufficient to spot when something doesn’t add up at the interfaceExperience with marine or port infrastructure (wharfs, docks, shore facilities, dredging coordination)BIM software fluency (Autodesk BIM 360 / Construction Cloud, Navisworks, Revit)Hydraulic and hydrologic modeling (ICPR, WaterGEMS, or similar)Experience supporting NEPA and environmental regulatory research, preparation, and reportingFamiliarity with permitting and land-use coordination with government agencies (state, federal, military)Experience with California-specific environmental regulations or coastal engineering
 Base Pay Range for:

CA applicants is $99,201.00 - $138,880.35

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 CheckRequired for Certain Job Profiles:  Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installationRequired 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 [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.