MK2 GN&C Navigation Engineer II

Blue Origin•Littleton, CO

About The Position

This role is part of Blue Origin’s Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Moon landers and related products. As a spacecraft development engineer, you will contribute to the development and assembly of navigation systems for multiple lunar missions. The work includes developing software and sensor-integration solutions to navigation problems and supporting systems throughout their lifecycle, including flight operations. You will collaborate across disciplines to ensure designs are compatible with manufacturing and environmental requirements. The role spans the development lifecycle from initial architecture through flight and supports the safe exploration of the solar system.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or a related STEM field.
Programming experience in Rust, C++, or C.
Experience synthesizing state-estimation algorithms and Kalman filters for spacecraft navigation, and experience with navigation sensors such as IMUs, star trackers, and optical sensors.
Understanding of spacecraft dynamics, kinematics, and coordinate systems.
Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.
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.
Pass the Blue Origin Standard Background Check.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. or equivalent in computer science, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field.
Experience with Rust for embedded or flight software development.
Experience with Python for navigation analysis and algorithm development.
Experience developing navigation systems that include measurements from optical sensors.
Experience with vision-aided navigation, computer vision, or sensor-fusion algorithms.
Experience with spacecraft or aircraft flight-software development and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Knowledge of orbital mechanics, mission design, and flight-operations support.
Familiarity with DO-178C or similar software development standards.
Experience with simulation, mathematical modeling, data analysis, technical writing, and presentations.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, test, and deploy production navigation software for lunar spacecraft, including sensor I/O and state-estimation algorithms using C, C++, Rust, and Python.
Support development of navigation and sensor-fusion algorithms and execute component-level testing, including sensor characterization, modeling, and integrated on-vehicle testing.
Develop and maintain navigation simulation environments and conduct system analysis, including error budgets, sensitivity studies, and performance predictions.
Interface with navigation hardware vendors to integrate sensors into spacecraft systems.
Support flight operations, including pre-flight planning, real-time monitoring, and post-flight analysis.
Collaborate with GNC, Flight Software, Systems Engineering, and Operations teams.
Embody Blue Origin’s leadership principles.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and 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 based on individual contributions and company results.