Avionics DFI Engineer III

Application close date:

At Blue Origin we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Were 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!

At Blue Origin we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Were working to develop reusable safe and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety collaboration and inclusion. Join our diverse team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit. To further Blue Origins mission of having millions of people living and working in space we are building the sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the Lunar Surface.

As part of a small passionate and accomplished team of experts you will be responsible for Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) for the MK-1 lunar lander as part of the MK-1 Avionics team. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your dedicated commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Development Flight Instrumentation

• Serve as the primary technical authority for Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) leading the full subsystem lifecyclefrom concept requirements definition and architecture through design analysis integration verification and validation for lunar missions
• Architect and design DFI solutions leveraging a combination of custom and COTS avionics hardware including flight computing signal conditioning data acquisition systems sensors and harnessing
• Design integrate and test flight hardware assemblies to verify functionality and robustness against system requirements and mission targets
• Develop and maintain ground support equipment and test electronics (hardware and software) to support instrumentation development integration and test campaigns
• Maintain sensor lists and integration tracking documentation ensuring accuracy of sensor allocations locations wiring/harness mapping and status throughout vehicle integration
• Coordinate and support sensor installation and integration activities working closely with technicians and product teams to ensure correct placement calibration and functional checkout
• Support product teams throughout test and flight operations including real-time operation and monitoring of DFI systems data management and post-test data reduction for performance analysis and troubleshooting
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product teams to translate mission and vehicle requirements into instrumentation architectures that meet data collection reliability and schedule needs
• Drive make-vs-buy trade studies and technical decisions for instrumentation hardware and subsystems
• Manage DFI subsystem budget schedule and cost; coordinate team activities procure hardware and manage contractor/vendor relationships
• Prepare and deliver status reports and performance updates to stakeholders and leadership
• Author and maintain documentation of best practices lessons learned and design standards for development flight instrumentation to support continuous improvement across future missions
• Ensure DFI designs comply with relevant flight safety reliability and environmental requirements for lunar mission applications

Imaging system design & component selection

• Own the camera architecture across vehicle imaging needs: engineering situational awareness deployment/separation witness cams payload and customer-facing imagery and public outreach / mission documentation
• Trade and select sensors lenses windows filters and ISPs against mission requirements; produce a documented link budget from photons-on-aperture to bits-on-the-ground
• Drive resolution requirements top-down from what each camera needs to show into IFOV MTF focal length sensor pitch and integration time
• Define dynamic range strategy for the lunar lighting environment; evaluate HDR sensors dual/multi-gain readouts exposure bracketing log/PWL encoding and tone mapping
• Coordinate stray-light analysis: sun and Earth glare into the optics
• Select and defend mounting locations against FOV coverage occlusion by vehicle structure thermal soak and stray-light paths. Working with Vehicle systems teams to support and finalize camera integration.
• Build and maintain the camera FOV / coverage model across mission phases (cruise lunar orbit descent touchdown surface ops)
• Define imaging timelines exposure plans and on-board autoexposure logic against comms windows and downlink budget; work with ops to prioritize frames when bandwidth is tight

Vehicle integration

• Help define mechanical interfaces: brackets alignment tolerances boresight calibration plan contamination covers sunshades and any articulated/deployable mounts
• Help define electrical and data interfaces: connector pinouts harness routing power switching sync/trigger and the data path (CSI-2 GigE Vision SpaceWire Camera Link LVDS etc.) into C&DH and the downlink chain
• Support development of photon budge frame rate resolution bit depth compression vs. on-board storage and DTE/relay link
• Perform camera and DFI V&V: optical bench thermal-vac vibe/shock EMI/EMC radiation (TID/SEL/SEU per mission environment) and end-to-end functional with flight avionics

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering Aerospace Engineering Physics Optical Engineering or a related technical field
• 5 years of experience in avionics instrumentation (including bridge PTs RTDs and accelerometers) and electro-optical/imaging systems engineering
• Demonstrated experience owning a subsystem or hardware element across the full lifecycle: requirements design integration and verification & validation
• Working knowledge of networking equipment and common data/interface standards (e.g. LVDS SpaceWire GigE Vision Camera Link CSI-2 Ethernet)
• Experience collaborating with component teams to define and document electrical and mechanical interfaces
• Ability to review embedded hardware requirements and PCB schematics
• Experience developing and executing test campaigns including C and Python scripting for DFI integration testing
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot issues found in testing isolate failures and root case and provide corrective action
• Familiarity with aerospace system design requirements such as thermal vibration shock EMI/EMC acoustics electrical grounding/bonding
• Direct experience working with suppliers and resolving problems as they arise
• Excellent written verbal and interpersonal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in Electrical Engineering Aerospace Engineering Physics Optical Engineering or a related technical field
• Direct experience with DFI on launch vehicles spacecraft or landers
• Electro-optical/imaging systems design experience with space hardened camera
• Experience designing hardware for the radiation environment (TID SEL SEU) and performing or supporting radiation testing
• Experience with lunar cislunar or deep-space mission environments and constraints
• Proficiency with analysis/scripting tools (e.g. Python MATLAB) for data reduction and modeling
• Familiarity with flight safety and reliability requirements and processes

Base Pay Range for:

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Dont 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 youre excited about this role but your past experience doesnt 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 a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blues 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 10001 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 companys intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the companys results or other factors at the companys 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 Origins Affirmative Action Plans or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process please contact us at. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.