Blue Origin

Avionics Hardware Engineer III

Blue Origin$130K — $182K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field, with proven experience in electronics and computing.
  • 5+ years of avionics systems design experience, preferably in the aerospace industry.
  • In-depth knowledge of PCB layout for Ethernet PHYs (10/100/1000BASE-T) and signal integrity best practices.
  • Hands-on experience with debugging tools and hardware testing methodologies.
  • Strong communication skills for collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

  • Design and develop avionics hardware systems for upper stage vehicles.
  • Review and ensure compliance of PCB designs with aerospace standards.
  • Collaborate on system integration with software and network teams.
  • Define and maintain board-level architecture for power and communication systems.
  • Prototype, test, and transition designs from prototype to production.
  • Conduct benchmarking and analysis to optimize design performance.
  • Keep updated on hardware technologies and industry best practices.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options.
  • Paid parental leave and disability coverage.
  • 401(k) with company match up to 5%.
  • Stock options for all regular employees working 20+ hours/week.
  • Up to four weeks of paid time off and 14 company-paid holidays.
Full Job Description
Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

This role supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable.

Avionics Hardware Engineer III

The New Glenn Avionics team is multidisciplinary covering power, GNC, network and communications, Software, embedded systems, sensors, cabling, testing and integration. This position is in support of a multi-disciplinary engineer who will focus on network hardware for design, test, and integration of upper stage avionics systems. This position will be as an active participant in a rapid development type environment and requires the appropriate approach of bias for action while quickly delivering results. The decisions made early on will set Blue Origin up for long-term success. It also requires comfort with ambiguity and an ability to find a path forward

We are seeking an extremely ambitious network focused Avionics Hardware Engineer with a passion for the product lifecycle of ideation, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. The ideal candidate should have a deep understanding of avionics system design and testing capabilities. Candidates are encouraged to apply if they meet most, but not all, of the qualifications below.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Design and develop avionics hardware systems that can be integrated into an upper stage vehicle.
  • Review detailed PCB designs and layouts. Ensure designs meet all required aerospace and industry standards, including signal integrity, thermal considerations, and mechanical constraints.
  • Collaborate with embedded software and network OS teams during system integration.
  • Define and sustain board-level architecture including switch ASICs, PHYs, optics, power, and management subsystems
  • Create and review schematics based on system requirements, ensuring accuracy and adherence to design specifications.
  • Build and test prototypes, troubleshoot design issues, and work with manufacturing teams to transition designs from prototype to production.
  • Collaborate with multi-functional teams to implement robust and efficient designs.
  • Conduct benchmarking and performance analysis to guide the design and optimization process.
  • Support the full development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, debugging, deployment, and documentation.
  • Keep abreast of the latest developments in hardware technologies, tools, and best practices.
  • Ensure all designs comply with relevant aerospace industry standards and safety regulations. Perform risk assessments and design reviews as necessary.


Minimum Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field, with a strong track record in electronics and computing.
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in avionics systems design. Significant portion of this experience in the aerospace industry preferred.
  • Strong understanding of PCB layout requirements for Ethernet PHY designs (10/100/1000BASE-T), including controlled-impedance differential pair routing.
  • Proficient in stack-up planning, length matching, EMI/ESD mitigation, and proper PHY-magnetics-RJ45 placement.
  • Ability to follow PHY datasheets/reference designs and apply signal- and power-integrity best practices.
  • Strong understanding of signal integrity, power distribution, embedded systems, cabling and embedded system interfaces.
  • Experience with high-speed interfaces (SerDes, PCIe, Ethernet PHYs)
  • Signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) analysis
  • Clocking, reset, power sequencing, and voltage regulation design
  • EMI/EMC considerations and compliance testing
  • Solid understanding of Ethernet switching fundamentals
  • Knowledge of TCP/IP, OSI model, IPv4/IPv6
  • Understanding of IEEE 802.3 / 802.1 standards
  • Experience analyzing and debug packet transmit (TX) and receive (RX) data paths across MAC, PHY, and optical interfaces
  • Validate correct CRC generation, insertion, checking, and error handling across Ethernet frames
  • Hands-on experience with hardware debugging tools such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and JTAG.
  • Familiarity with packet capture and network debugging tools such as Wireshark, tcpdump, BERT, and TDR.
  • Familiarity with Altium Designer, Altium Constraint Manager, impedance calculators, and WCCA.
  • Hands-on experience with performing environmental test derived from MIL-STD and SMC-S-016.
  • Skilled in analyzing system requirements and decomposing complex problems into clear, actionable steps for hardware implementation.
  • Good communication and collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and articulate technical concepts clearly.
  • Be a continuous learner and proactive problem solver, eager to tackle the unique challenges presented in the realm of board development and hardware deployment.


Preferred Qualifications:
  • Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.


Base Pay Range for:
WA applicants is $130,706.00 - $182,987.70

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.

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.


About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is an aerospace company that develops rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company's products include the New Shepard suborbital vehicle and the New Glenn orbital rocket. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Learn more about Blue Origin
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Blue Origin

More Aerospace & Defense Jobs

Find similar Avionics Hardware Engineer III jobs: