Automation Controls Engineer III Verified today

About the Role

Blue Origin's Factory Automation team is the in-house automation integrator responsible for designing, building, and deploying custom equipment and systems that enable scalable, repeatable production across Blue Origin's manufacturing operations. You will work across R&D, design, build, installation, and commissioning, growing your technical depth and ownership across the full project lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with applications engineers on conceptual automated manufacturing equipment, contributing controls architecture input from concept through detailed design
• Design and support control system architectures including network topology, I/O distribution, safety systems, and communication protocols
• Participate in the industrial controls and electrical design of bespoke automation systems
• Apply engineering first principles to analyze system behavior, identify root causes, and develop technically sound solutions to novel automation challenges
• Develop offline simulations of automated systems to validate control logic, robot paths, cycle times, and system behavior prior to hardware availability
• Support and execute online debugging and commissioning of PLC, HMI, robot, and similar industrial controls programs
• Integrate auxiliary equipment, machines, and tools into unified control systems
• Work with panel fabricators and field installation teams; provide technical support during system integration and commissioning
• Support and lead factory and site acceptance testing, and contribute to the build, installation, commissioning, and start-up of automated manufacturing systems
• Create controls documentation packages including sequence of operations, I/O lists, network diagrams, and program documentation

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Controls, or related engineering field
• Minimum 4 years of hands-on experience developing or integrating industrial controls and automation systems, including PLC and HMI programming as core competencies
• Exposure to one or more industrial automation platforms such as robots, material handling systems (gantries, AGVs, conveyors), CNC machine integration, NDT, assembly, testing, or process tools (torque, welding, grinding, or similar)
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and review electrical and mechanical drawings
• Experience with industrial safety system design including functional safety devices, safety PLCs, and safety-rated circuits
• 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 industrial automation and machine safety standards including IEC 61131, ANSI B11, NFPA 79, RIA R15.06, and functional safety standards (IEC 62061 / ISO 13849)
• Experience with industrial automation simulation software for offline programming or virtual commissioning, such as Plant Simulate, Process Simulate, Visual Components, KUKA.Sim, RobotStudio, or similar
• Experience with industrial machine vision systems, including configuration or application development using platforms such as Cognex
• Experience building, modifying, or troubleshooting electrical control panels
• Experience with electrical design for industrial control systems using AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, or similar electrical CAD platforms
• Demonstrated history of delivering custom automated manufacturing systems from concept through production ramp-up
• Demonstrated ability to apply engineering fundamentals including mechanics, electronics, and control theory to diagnose complex system failures and develop first-principles solutions in novel or undefined problem spaces

Compensation

Base pay range for Colorado applicants: $150,931.00 - $211,303.05. Other site ranges may differ.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance
• Paid parental leave, short and long-term disability
• 401(k) with company match up to 5%
• Education Support Program
• Stock options for all regular employees working at least 20 hours per week
• Paid time off up to four weeks per year and up to 14 company-paid holidays