Avionics Hardware Engineer III

BLUE ORIGIN•Denver, CO

2d•$119,814 - $167,739

About The Position

Blue Origin is hiring an Avionics Hardware Engineer III for Blue National Security, supporting the design, development, and delivery of launch and spacecraft systems for national security missions. The role focuses on avionics for Blue Ring, a multi-mission in-space vehicle. The engineer will design circuit hardware from requirements through production, work with considerable autonomy, own a technical scope, and contribute to continuous improvement of engineering practices. The engineer will develop analog, digital, power, and mixed-signal circuits for flight applications; decompose system requirements and maintain traceability; perform analysis and guide PCB design; and produce requirements, interface, design, and verification documentation. The role also includes leading design reviews, supporting qualification and acceptance testing, investigating failures, implementing corrective actions, and contributing to schedules, budgets, technical milestones, engineering standards, and team development.

Requirements

B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field.
At least 5 years of experience designing electronic hardware through the full development lifecycle, from requirements through fabrication, test, and production.
Experience with schematic capture using industry-standard EDA tools such as Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, Mentor Capital/PADS, or Altium Designer.
Experience performing derating, WCCA, and tolerance analysis for flight or high-reliability hardware.
Knowledge of EMI/EMC design principles and circuit-level mitigation techniques.
Experience supporting environmental qualification testing, including vibration, thermal, and shock, and interpreting test results.
Background in analog and digital circuit design, including power electronics, signal conditioning, and communication interfaces such as RS-422, SPI, I2C, or MIL-STD-1553.
Experience leading technical design reviews and producing supporting documentation.
Experience performing root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions on hardware non-conformances.
U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status is required for access to export-controlled technical data.

Nice To Haves

M.S. in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
Experience designing avionics hardware for spacecraft, launch vehicles, or in-space systems.
Knowledge of radiation-tolerant component selection and design techniques for space environments.
Familiarity with MIL-STD-975, MIL-PRF-38535, or equivalent high-reliability parts qualification standards.
Experience with power electronics design, including DC/DC converters, battery charge/discharge circuits, or pyrotechnic firing circuits.
Background in FPGA or processor-based avionics subsystems and hardware/software interface definition.
Proficiency with SPICE-based simulation tools such as LTspice, PSpice, or SIMetrix.
Experience with high-speed PCB design, including signal integrity and PDN analysis.
Familiarity with AS9100, NASA-STD-8739, or IPC-A-610 quality and workmanship standards.
Experience supporting production transitions, including first article inspection, DFM iterations, and production test development.
Prior experience as a technical lead or mentor on a hardware development program.
Familiarity with MBSE and requirements management tools such as DOORS and Jama.

Responsibilities

Design analog, digital, power, and mixed-signal circuits for flight avionics applications, including power conversion, actuator drive, communication interfaces, data acquisition, and processor-based systems.
Decompose system-level requirements into subcircuit requirements for complex electronic modules and maintain full traceability.
Perform derating, worst-case circuit (WCCA), tolerance, and thermal analyses for flight-grade hardware.
Apply EMI/EMC design techniques at circuit and module levels.
Guide PCB layout reviews, including stack-up definition, signal integrity, and power delivery network considerations.
Design for manufacturability and testability to support production scalability.
Write and manage hardware requirements documents, interface control documents, and design specifications.
Prepare and lead technical design reviews, including PDR and CDR, and track and close action items.
Produce technical documentation connecting design decisions to requirements.
Write hardware verification and validation plans with direct traceability to requirements.
Support environmental qualification and acceptance testing across the hardware scope.
Analyze test data, disposition anomalies, and perform root cause analysis on hardware failures.
Develop corrective actions and translate findings into design improvements.
Contribute to hardware schedules, budgets, and technical milestones; hold technical approval authority for assigned deliverables.
Participate in tool development, process improvements, and release of engineering standards.
Give technical feedback to teammates to strengthen design quality.
Support technology maturation and lessons-learned documentation at the department level.

Benefits

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Basic and supplemental life insurance
Paid parental leave
Short- and long-term disability
401(k) with company match of up to 5%
Education Support Program
Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week
Paid time off of up to four weeks per year, based on weekly scheduled hours
Up to 14 company-paid holidays
Depending on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses tied to individual contributions or company results; bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed.