Greg Derk
About Greg Derk
Greg Derk is a Propulsion Engineer at Blue Origin, contributing to the development of the BE-4 rocket engine. He has a diverse background in both software development and aerospace engineering.
Title
Greg Derk holds the position of Propulsion Engineer at Blue Origin, where he has been working since 2019. He is based in Kent, Washington.
Work Experience at Blue Origin
Since 2019, Greg Derk has served as a Propulsion Engineer at Blue Origin. In this role, he has contributed to the development of the BE-4 rocket engine, a pivotal element in Blue Origin's efforts towards advancing space exploration.
Previous Roles in Software Development
Greg Derk has a rich background in software development. He served as a Systems Programmer at Wal-Mart Home Office from 1998 to 2001. Later, he joined Microsoft - Turn 10 Studios, where he held various roles including Software Development Engineer in Test, Lead Software Development Engineer in Test, and Studio Test Manager between 2001 and 2014. His notable projects during this period include work on Microsoft Exchange and Windows.
Academic Background
Greg Derk possesses a diverse educational background. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Management Information Systems from the University of Central Oklahoma between 1994 and 1998. He later pursued a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Washington, completed from 2015 to 2017. Additionally, he obtained a Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University from 2017 to 2019.
Transition to Aerospace Engineering
Greg Derk transitioned from a successful career in software development to aerospace engineering in 2015. He worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant and Lab Assistant at the University of Washington. He was also involved in hybrid rocket fuel research with the Society for Advanced Rocket Propulsion (SARP). From 2017 to 2019, he was a Graduate Research Assistant at Penn State University, focusing on propulsion systems.