Sr. Avionics Hardware Engineer - Spacecraft Systems

BLUE ORIGIN•Seattle, WA

About The Position

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. The ACE Formulation team is multidisciplinary, covering power systems, simulation and environments, thermal and fluids management, guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), autonomy, command and control, data handling and instrumentation, electrical integration and avionics, and propulsion. Working with this team to serve the various projects, studies, and programs in a rapid formulation design environment will be a key responsibility while contributing technically as an individual contributor sharing your expertise. This position will be as an active participant in this environment and requires the appropriate mindset of bias for action while quickly delivering results. The decisions made early on will set Blue Origin up for long-term success. It also requires a comfort with ambiguity and an ability to find a path forward. As an Avionics Hardware Engineer for our spacecraft programs, you will be a key player in the entire lifecycle of our vehicle's electronic systems. This role is for a systems-thinking engineer who is also a hands-on builder and problem-solver. You will be responsible for designing, developing, and testing critical avionics hardware, from the component level to the integrated system. You will not just be designing on a screen; you will be in the lab prototyping, building harnesses, and testing the hardware you create. You will collaborate closely with a multi-disciplinary team of mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineers to define vehicle architecture and ensure the successful integration of avionics into the overall system. If you are passionate about seeing your designs fly and are not afraid to get your hands dirty to make it happen, this is the role for you.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
5+ years of experience in avionics and power hardware development for aerospace, defense, automotive, or other high-reliability applications.
Demonstrated experience as a hands-on engineer, with direct experience designing, building, and reworking wire harnesses and prototype electronics.
Proven experience in the design and analysis of power generation, energy storage, power electronics and power distribution systems (photovoltaics, DC/DC converters, battery systems, fault protection, etc.).
Understanding of common circuit analyses (Worst Case Circuit Analysis, Derating, Power Analysis, Timing, etc.).
Strong understanding of designing for the space radiation environment and its effects on electronic components.
Proficiency with common communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART, RS-422/485, CAN and Ethernet.
Experience working with a variety of sensor types and their associated analog and digital interfaces.
Fundamental knowledge of RF communications systems, including transponders, antennas, and link analysis.
Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout tools such as Altium Designer or Cadence.

Nice To Haves

Master of Science in a related technical discipline.
Experience with end-to-end development of avionics for a spaceflight mission.
Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout tools such as Altium Designer or Cadence.
Experience with environmental testing (thermal, vacuum, vibration, shock) per standards like SMC-S-016 or MIL-STD-810.
Advanced experience in RF system design, including familiarity with TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking, and Command) systems.
Experience with high-voltage power systems.
Experience with DC brushed, DC brushless, and AC synchronous motor control
Familiarity with systems engineering processes, including requirements management and verification.
Familiarity with scripting tools (Python, Matlab, Bash, C/C++)

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and test spacecraft avionics systems, including command and data handling, power distribution, and RF communications.
Lead the design and analysis of vehicle power systems, including power generation, energy storage, regulation, and distribution architectures.
Perform hands-on fabrication, assembly, and testing of engineering-level hardware, including building and modifying wire harnesses, soldering components, and integrating sensor systems for rapid prototyping and troubleshooting.
Design for the space environment, applying principles of radiation hardening (TID, SEE) to ensure system reliability. Perform analysis and select components to meet mission radiation requirements.
Define and manage requirements for various sensors (e.g., IMUs, star trackers, magnetometers, pressure transducers, temperature sensors) and their corresponding electrical interfaces (e.g., analog, SPI, I2C, UART, RS-422, CAN, Ethernet).
Collaborate with mechanical and thermal engineering teams to influence vehicle layout, packaging, connector selection, and overall system design to meet avionics requirements.
Contribute to the architecture and design of the spacecraft's RF communication systems, including link budget analysis, antenna selection, and transponder integration.
Develop schematics, manage PCB layout, and perform simulations (SPICE) for critical circuits.
Create comprehensive test plans, procedures, and reports for hardware verification and validation at the board, box, and system levels.
Troubleshoot complex hardware issues across integrated systems and support vehicle-level testing and launch campaigns.
Generate and maintain electrical power budgets encompassing all power consumption and generation/storage margin management by mission phase.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion.

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