Senior Electrical Systems Engineer

Application close date:

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!  

The Blue National Security team is seeking a Senior Electrical Systems Engineer with an emphasis on communications payload integration. This role is to provide technical direction for the electrical architecture of our spacecraft and communications payload systems. You will coordinate with a multidisciplinary team spanning RF, optical communications, command & data handling (C&DH), power, software, and mechanical, along with external suppliers, to define and deliver space electronics solutions. This is a hands-on role covering design, development, production, and test. You will own electrical interface compatibility, functional allocations, and margins across subsystems and payloads, and you will mentor junior engineers along the way.

Special Mentions

• Position includes relocation assistance
• Travel expectations: Occasional travel (up to 25%) to support production and operations

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide technical direction for a multidisciplinary systems team (RF, optical comms, power, software, mechanical), including suppliers, to create, influence, and define electronics solutions and their interfaces to the spacecraft and payloads
• Define the electrical requirements needed to ensure end-to-end RF communications
• Provide direction and definition for space electronics systems and components
• Support trade studies on compatibility, applicability, cost, and technical merit of in-house and out-of-house electronics development efforts
• Perform electrical system modeling and simulations, inclusive of power quality assessment planning, system and component grounding definition, compatibility of interfaces between system electronics, and electrical effects of mission environment
• Define requirements and mitigations driven by the mission environment (e.g., spacecraft charging)
• Apply harness best design practices to ensure sound power quality and signal integrity at key interfaces
• Maintain end-to-end electrical compatibility, functional allocations, and margins across subsystems and payloads
• Participate hands-on in all phases: design, development, production, and test
• Identify technical risks early in the design phase and define mitigations
• Work with the larger team to resolve electrical hardware anomalies at the component and system level, determine root cause and corrective action for both engineering development and flight hardware
• Mentor junior engineers on mission considerations and electrical subsystem concepts

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field
• 8+ years of experience in electrical systems engineering for space or other high-reliability systems
• Experience leading cross-functional teams, including supplier interfaces
• Experience mentoring or leading junior engineers
• Demonstrated experience defining power architectures, grounding strategies, and power quality requirements
• Experience with electrical transient system modeling and simulation (e.g., SPICE-based tools, MATLAB/Simulink)
• Understanding of harness design concepts, signal integrity and design implementations, and interface definition
• Experience supporting integration, test, and anomaly resolution on flight and flight-like hardware
• Experience with requirements development, interface control documents (ICDs), and margin management

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering or a related field
• Experience with spacecraft charging analysis and mitigation (e.g., surface and internal charging, ESD)
• Experience with high-voltage/low-voltage hybrid power architecture
• Background in RF and optical communications systems and end-to-end link electrical requirements
• Experience applying EMI/EMC standards (e.g., MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-1541, or equivalent) to spacecraft systems
• Experience with radiation environments and electronic part selection for space
• Experience with fault tree analysis, FMEA, and root cause/corrective action processes
• Active U.S. security clearance

Base Pay Range for:

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, 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 [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.