Advanced Concepts and Engineering Program Planning and Controls Specialist III

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 Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

This role is within the Advanced Concepts and Engineering (ACE) business unit. ACE is accountable for conceptualizing and incubating in-space system products and businesses, including space vehicles, low-Earth orbit destinations, cislunar infrastructure, and lunar surface capabilities. The organization also develops breakthrough technologies for both ACE and other Business Units.​

As a member of a dedicated team of specialists and accomplished experts in Program Planning & Controls (PP&C), you will execute project schedule and cost management for ACE Programs and Projects partnered with Program Managers and Integrated Product Teams (IPTs). Ideally the successful candidate would be skilled in both cost and schedule management and this document is written with that intent. However, multiple positions may be available and someone with one skillset or the other will be considered.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

You will be responsible for supporting the creation of integrated schedule and cost baselines in Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project and Deltek Cobra, which will be used to execute and measure our projects. This will require clear communication and strong organizational skills as you solicit inputs on requirements and dependencies across your assigned programs. Establishing these plans will involve supporting the development of Work breakdown structures, Integrated Master Schedules, and the formation of detailed IPT-level schedules. This position will drive execution to these plans by coordinating status updates, collecting and inputting schedule performance, performing regular schedule forecast updates, and providing actionable schedule reporting. You will use schedule performance data to generate actionable metrics, key performance indicators, and schedule reporting artifacts to inform IPT leaders and influence future schedule updates. Your support goes beyond collecting inputs and reporting as you will drive assigned efforts to execute and hold them accountable for performance while proactively mitigating roadblocks. A strong attention to detail and proactive analysis of schedule status and variances is needed to influence future performance on our projects and deliver project objectives on schedule and within cost. This position requires you to implement effective change management to account for approved scope changes, as well as actively vetting cost and schedule forecast updates for accuracy and realism, cost estimate to completes (ETC) and Estimate at Complete (EACs) exercises. As part of the PP&C team, you will also support (or lead!) initiatives aimed at driving maturity into the schedule and cost processes, tools, and reporting. Reporting to the ACE Chief of Staff and utilizing your experience in analysis, exemplary communication, and high attention to detail and accuracy, you will work to increase the speed and efficiency of our programs by supporting the timely delivery, quality, and transparency of schedule and cost data to support program stakeholders including IPT leaders and Program Managers.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Minimum Qualifications

- 5+ years’ experience in program scheduling and/or financial management (aerospace industry and/or R&D programs preferred)
- Experience and comfort with working in ambiguous environments and situations
- Undergraduate degree preferably in business, finance, engineering, project management
- Broad/deep scheduling and planning skillset - proficiency with resource-loaded schedules using Primavera (P6), MS Project, or other software
- Control account management including schedule baselining, reforecasting, variance analysis, and schedule-change management.
- Proven ability to build, develop, and maintain a fully networked and resource-loaded Integrated Master Schedule from scratch.
- Skilled in developing schedule and/or cost reports and analysis of KPIs
- Demonstrated exposure to project cost management: must be willing to learn and execute cost management support to assigned IPTs/control accounts

Preferred Qualifications

- P6, Deltek COBRA, Empower, or other cost/schedule integration and analysis tool experience.
- Experience in budgeting, cost analysis, and financial project reporting
- Experience establishing new research and development programs.
- Following a monthly/quarterly rhythm of EAC and ETC development and reporting
- Proven record of hands-on development and implementation of process improvements

Special Mentions

- Relocation provided
- Multiple positions available

Base Pay Range for:
VA applicants is $112,059.00 - $156,882.60
CO applicants is $102,721.00 - $143,809.05
WA applicants is $112,059.00 - $156,882.60

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, 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