Title: RF Comms SDR Engineer III

Location: Greater Seattle Area

Position Type: Full time

Requisition ID: R59626

Description:

Application close date:

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

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 supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable.

This position is in Blue Origin’s exciting New Glenn program. As part of the Avionics team, you will design, develop, and verify high-performance Software Defined Radios (SDRs) for the New Glenn flight vehicle. You will lead efforts to develop robust telemetry systems that ensure reliable data transmission during all mission phases, from pre-launch testing through orbital operations. You will be integrated with our rocket program and technical leads to drive requirements definition, modeling, analysis, design, test and production release of on-vehicle launch, flight and power management components and sub-systems. In addition, you will follow avionics designs through formal verification, environmental qualification, release, and participate in flight support activities.

In this leadership role, you will manage cross-functional teams in the development of advanced SDR systems optimized for telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) applications. You'll oversee the entire development lifecycle of mission-critical communication systems that maintain uninterrupted data links between ground stations and flight vehicles during dynamic flight conditions.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact our mission of Millions of People Living and Working in Space for the Benefit of Earth. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering or related field
• Desire to work hands-on, both independently and as part of a team, throughout the design, verification, qualification, and production phases of the electronic product lifecycle
• 5+ years of proven experience in design, development, integration, test and/or operation of complex electronics
• Experience with the design of Software Defined Radios
• Experience managing SDR development programs for telemetry applications, including bandwidth optimization, modulation schemes, and error correction techniques
• Knowledge of telemetry system architectures, including multiplexers, encoders, transmitters, receivers, and ground station equipment
• High-speed digital, analog, and/or mixed-signal circuit design, build, and troubleshooting, with understanding of EE principles
• Circuit analysis and simulation, such as worst-case circuit analysis, signal integrity analysis, and logic or P-Spice simulation
• Experience in grounding and general board layout principles, including EMI/EMC tradeoffs
• RF communication testing or subsystem/component design, with a strong background in RF principles
• Experience with telemetry data acquisition systems design and optimization for high-reliability aerospace applications
• Proven ability to lead technical teams through complex design challenges and trade studies
• Background developing circuit cards, consumer electronics, wireless devices, or other advanced electronic commercial or aerospace products

Desired:

• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering or related subject areas.
• 10+ years of proven experience in design, development, integration, test and/or operation of complex electronics
• Proven successful execution of multiple SDR projects
• Experience managing teams developing telemetry systems for launch vehicles or spacecraft
• Familiarity with aerospace telemetry standards including IRIG 106, CCSDS, and spectrum management requirements
• Experience with real-time telemetry data processing, compression algorithms, and advanced error correction techniques
• Knowledge of SDR FPGA development using hardware description languages (VHDL/Verilog) and implementation of digital signal processing algorithms Experience specifying and crafting high reliability safety-critical electronics; familiarity with IPC-A-600/610, DO-254 and similar standards
• Background with launch vehicle hardware development, integration, or test
• Experience developing embedded software or firmware for 32-bit microcontrollers, DSPs, and FPGAs
• Experience with RF link budget analysis and optimization for space-to-ground communications
• Demonstrated project management skills, including schedule development, resource allocation, and risk management
• Proficiency with scripted and/or compiled languages such as Python and C/C++

Compensation Range for:

WA applicants is $130,706.00 - $182,987.70

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check

• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation

• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing (CDL drivers only), vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.

• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Benefits

• Benefits include: 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. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.

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