Sr Avionics Hardware Engineer

Blue Origin•Littleton, CO

13h•$144,179 - $219,522

About The Position

This role is part of Blue National Security (BNS), which designs, develops, and delivers launch and spacecraft systems for national security missions. The multidisciplinary team supports projects, studies, and programs in a rapid formulation design environment, emphasizing innovation, shared solutions and standards, simplicity, lower costs, and manufacturable design. The role calls for an individual contributor who can work through ambiguity, act quickly, and help make early engineering decisions that support long-term program success. As a spacecraft avionics and power engineer, you will contribute across the lifecycle of vehicle electronic systems. You will design, develop, and test avionics hardware from component level through integrated systems, combining systems-level thinking with hands-on prototyping, fabrication, assembly, and troubleshooting. You will collaborate with mechanical, thermal, software, and systems engineers to define vehicle architecture and integrate avionics into the overall system. The work includes power-system design and analysis, sensor interfaces, radiation-aware component selection, circuit and PCB development, verification and validation, and support for vehicle testing and launch campaigns.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
At least 7 years of experience in avionics and power hardware development for aerospace, defense, automotive, or other high-reliability applications.
Direct hands-on experience designing, building, and reworking wire harnesses and prototype electronics.
Understanding of common circuit analyses, including Worst Case Circuit Analysis, derating, power analysis, and timing.
Strong understanding of the space radiation environment and its effects on electronic components.
Experience with a variety of sensor types and their associated analog and digital interfaces.
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 environmental testing (thermal, vacuum, vibration, and shock) to standards such as SMC-S-016 or MIL-STD-810.
Proven experience designing and analyzing power generation, energy storage, power electronics, and power distribution systems, including photovoltaics, DC/DC converters, battery systems, and fault protection.
Experience with high-voltage power systems.
Familiarity with systems engineering processes, including requirements management and verification.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and test spacecraft avionics systems.
Lead the design and analysis of vehicle power systems, including power generation, energy storage, regulation, and distribution architectures.
Fabricate, assemble, and test engineering-level hardware, including building and modifying wire harnesses, soldering components, and integrating sensor systems for rapid prototyping and troubleshooting.
Design for the space radiation environment, applying radiation-hardening principles such as TID and SEE, and analyze and select components to meet mission radiation requirements.
Define and manage requirements for sensors such as IMUs, star trackers, magnetometers, pressure transducers, and temperature sensors, and for their electrical interfaces.
Collaborate with mechanical and thermal engineering teams on vehicle layout, packaging, connector selection, and system design to meet avionics requirements.
Develop schematics, manage PCB layout, and perform circuit simulations using SPICE.
Create test plans, procedures, and reports for hardware verification and validation at 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 covering consumption, generation, and storage margins by mission phase.

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.
Up to four weeks of paid time off 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 bonuses and other benefits; amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and may change or be canceled.