GN&C Navigation Engineer III

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. This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin’s Blue Moon landers and related products. We are building sustainable infrastructure for transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

About the role

As part of a hardworking team of spacecraft development engineers, you will directly contribute to the development and assembly of the Navigation system on multiple lunar missions. You will impact these systems by providing high-quality engineering support, developing software and sensor integration solutions to complex navigation problems, and guiding these systems through the full lifecycle including flight operations. You will collaborate across disciplines to ensure designs are compatible with manufacturing and environmental conditions. Your efforts will further the design of versatile spacecraft serving a wide variety of customers, experiencing the full lifecycle from initial architecture to flight in a short time while achieving historic milestones.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and deploy production navigation software for lunar spacecraft including sensor I/O and state estimation algorithms using C, C++, Rust, and Python
• Support the development of navigation and sensor fusion algorithms, and execute component-level test programs including sensor characterization, modeling, and integrated on-vehicle testing
• Develop and maintain navigation simulation environments and perform system analysis including error budgets, sensitivity studies, and performance predictions
• Interface with navigation hardware vendors to integrate sensors into spacecraft systems
• Support flight operations including pre-flight planning, real-time monitoring, and post-flight analysis
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including GNC, Flight Software, Systems Engineering, and Operations
• Embody the Blue Origin leadership principles

Qualifications

• M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or related STEM field with 5+ years of professional experience in navigation systems or related field
• Strong programming skills in Rust, C++, or C
• Experience in synthesis of state estimation algorithms and Kalman filters for spacecraft navigation, and experience with navigation sensors (IMUs, star trackers, optical sensors)
• Understanding of spacecraft dynamics, kinematics, and coordinate systems
• Ability to earn trust and maintain positive and professional relationships
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. with 3+ years of professional experience in navigation systems or related field
• Experience with Rust for embedded or flight software development
• Experience with Python for navigation analysis and algorithm development
• Experience in development of navigation systems that include measurements from optical sensors
• Experience with vision-aided navigation, computer vision, or sensor fusion algorithms
• Experience with flight software development for spacecraft or aircraft, and hardware-in-the-loop testing
• Knowledge of orbital mechanics, mission design, and flight operations support
• Familiarity with DO-178C or similar software development standards

Pay

• CA applicants: $164,652.00 - $230,512.80
• CO applicants: $150,931.00 - $211,303.05
• WA applicants: $164,652.00 - $230,512.80
• VA applicants: $164,652.00 - $230,512.80
• Other site ranges may differ

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Basic and supplemental life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Short and long-term disability
• 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%
• 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 additional benefits and bonuses