Title: Senior Avionics Hardware Technical Design Lead - TeraWave

Location: Greater Seattle Area

Position Type: Full time

Requisition ID: R68844

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 the Senior Avionics Hardware Technical Design Lead for the TeraWave spacecraft bus Electrical Power Subsystem (EPS), you will lead a team of experienced PCB and circuit design engineers focused on optimizing the TeraWave Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) electronics for cost, mass and producibility. You and your team will be responsible for complex PCB layouts for high/low voltage, and high power applications.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead the design of a PMAD satellite component, including board architecture, power distribution, connectorization, signal routing, current paths, protection interfaces, serviceability, and manufacturability
• Work closely with mechanical packaging and harness teams to make the TeraWave PMAD scalable and buildable
• Lead and manage electronics requirements definition, trading architecture concepts, and overseeing detailed design development, design verification and test
• Own cost and mass-reduction trades, architecture simplification, modularity, producibility, reduced part count, test simplification, and recurring manufacturing cost reduction
• Follow designs through formal verification, environmental qualification, release, and participate in integration and flight support activities
• Work with PCB fabricators and CM vendors to ensure manufacturability and resolve fabrication issues
• Work with TeraWave supply chain to ensure parts and components on-time availability
• Design for space environment considerations including thermal management, radiation tolerance, and mechanical stress
• As required, support the following design activities:
  • Design of multi-layer PCBs for complex digital, mixed-signal and high voltage/high power systems
  • Develop PCB layouts with careful attention to considerations for electromagnetic compatibility, creepage clearance and thermal management
  • Conduct power integrity analysis and design power distribution networks (PDN) for low-noise, high-current applications
  • Collaborate with electrical engineers on component selection, schematic review, and design optimization
  • Generate fabrication and assembly documentation including Gerber files, drill files, and assembly drawings
  • Board bring-up activities, debugging hardware issues related to PCB design

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field with 8+ years of electrical/avionics design experience, including demonstrated team leadership experience spanning performance development, technical guidance, and cross-functional coordination
• Experience with analog, digital, or mixed-signal circuit design—including analysis, simulation, test, troubleshooting, and component selection across common parts such as ADCs, DACs, op amps, power supplies (linear, LDO, DC/DC), processors, and MOSFETs
• Experience in power electronics hardware development, including high voltage switching, power regulation, and PCB layout with considerations for creepage, clearance, and thermal management; experience with thermal analysis tools and techniques for high-power designs
• Strong understanding of signal integrity, power integrity, grounding, and EMI/EMC best practices for high-power and mixed-signal PCB designs
• Knowledge of common communication protocols such as RS-232, RS-422, I2C, SPI, LVDS, Ethernet, or CAN
• Proficiency with PCB design tools (Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro, or similar), including layout experience for mixed-signal and high-power designs
• Familiarity with DFM, DFT principles, and IPC standards (IPC-2221, IPC-6012, IPC-A-610)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing for space or aerospace environments (vacuum, thermal cycling, radiation, vibration)
• Knowledge of power integrity analysis tools (e.g., HyperLynx, Ansys SIwave, Cadence Sigrity)
• Experience performing worst-case analysis, circuit FEA, and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
• Knowledge of conformal coating, potting, and other space-qualification techniques
• Background in fault detection, redundancy strategies, and system-level reliability modeling
• Familiarity with MIL-STD or NASA standards for PCB design
• Desire to work hands-on, both independently and collaboratively, throughout development and production phases

Base Pay Range for:

WA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45

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.