Title: Senior Digital Hardware Engineer — FPGA & Signal Integrity

Location: Greater Seattle Area

Position Type: Full time

Requisition ID: R64386

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! 

Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.

As a Senior Digital Hardware Engineer at Blue Origin, you will design and develop FPGA-based hardware for our next-generation RF communication and beamforming systems. You will be a hands-on schematic and signal integrity engineer, owning board-level FPGA hardware design from component selection through schematic capture and SI analysis, and providing technical oversight of internal or third-party PCB layout engineers and fabrication partners.

Responsibilities:

• Design FPGA-based digital boards interfacing to beamforming ASIC carrier boards with high-speed control interfaces and precision clock distribution, digital interface and timing distribution boards connecting back-end processing to phased array antenna modules, and mixed-signal payload integration assemblies managing power, clocking, and inter-board data routing

• Create complete electrical schematics in Altium Designer for FPGA-based boards including I/O bank planning, power rail grouping, configuration circuitry, and JTAG/debug infrastructure

• Design multi-rail power distribution for FPGAs and ASICs including sequencing, point-of-load regulators, and power monitoring

• Select and evaluate components with consideration for performance, availability, and temperature range

• Define PCB stackup requirements in collaboration with fabrication partners, specifying laminate selection, copper weights, and layer assignments for impedance and loss targets

• Author routing constraint documents for high-speed interfaces (JESD204B/C, DDR4, LVDS) covering length matching, topology, spacing, termination, and reference plane rules

• Perform pre- and post-layout SI review using simulation tools (HyperLynx, SIwave, or equivalent) with particular attention to via stub effects, crosstalk, and connector transitions

• Review third-party layout deliverables against constraint documents and SI simulation results, providing clear and actionable feedback

• Support PDN analysis for FPGA and ASIC power rails

• Develop board bring-up procedures and test plans prior to first article fabrication

• Support hardware bring-up using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and BERT instruments to characterize high-speed interfaces

• Debug and document hardware issues, driving root cause analysis and design corrections

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field with 5+ years of board-level hardware design experience

• Hands-on schematic design experience with high-performance FPGAs (Xilinx UltraScale+, Intel Agilex, or equivalent)

• Working knowledge of signal integrity fundamentals: transmission lines, impedance control, via effects, and termination — sufficient to author layout constraints and review third-party layouts

• Experience designing and validating high-speed serial interfaces at 16 Gbps lane rates or higher, with direct ownership of schematic and SI analysis at that rate

• Experience with at least one high-speed serial interface standard (JESD204B/C, PCIe Gen4/5, or equivalent) including schematic ownership

• Proficiency in Altium Designer for multi-sheet schematic design

• Familiarity with SI simulation tools (HyperLynx, SIwave, or equivalent) at a layout review level

• Hands-on bring-up experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and standard lab equipment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience designing hardware for phased array or beamforming systems including phase array antenna module interfaces, array timing distribution, or beamforming ASIC integration

• Familiarity with JESD204B/C deterministic latency, SYSREF distribution, and multi-converter synchronization

• Familiarity or hands-on experience with Precision Time Protocol (PTP / IEEE 1588) or VITA 49.2 (VRT) in hardware implementations, including hardware timestamping, PTP-aware switch and PHY selection, clock recovery circuit design, or FPGA-based VITA 49.2 packetization and timing metadata

• Experience with mixed-signal or RF/digital PCB design

• Exposure to space, aerospace, or high-reliability hardware design environments

• Experience working with and technically directing third-party PCB design or EMS partners

• Experience analyzing and mitigating EMI/EMC challenges inherent to mixed-signal boards combining GHz-rate digital signals with sensitive analog and RF circuitry

Compensation Range for:

WA applicants is $197,529.00 - $276,539.55

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.

• Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)

• 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.