Blue Origin

Communications Systems Engineer III - Lunar Permanence

Blue Origin$119K — $182K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. degree in Aerospace or Electrical Engineering or related field
  • 5+ years of experience in communication systems or RF testing
  • Knowledge of RF components like SSPA, LNAs, and antennas
  • Strong understanding of digital modulation schemes and FEC encoding
  • Experience delivering communications systems designed for spacecraft
  • Ability to develop RF simulations using tools like HFSS and MATLAB
  • Understanding of space qualification processes for communication systems

Responsibilities

  • Develop communication system designs for in-space architectures
  • Define and allocate subsystem requirements and ensure consistent engineering practices
  • Manage systems requirements including audits and change control
  • Create operational concepts and maintain analysis for communications subsystems
  • Develop verification and validation activities and compliance criteria
  • Coordinate with test teams for facility requirements and capabilities
  • Track validation activities to completion and review subsystem test plans
  • Author safety documents such as hazard assessments and mitigations
  • Mentor junior engineers in system engineering practices

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options
  • Paid parental leave and short/long term disability coverage
  • 401(k) with a 5% company match
  • Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours/week
  • Paid time off of up to four weeks per year, plus 14 company holidays
  • Potential bonuses and rewards based on performance and contributions
Full Job Description
Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin's Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

As part of a hardworking team of specialists, technicians, and engineers (use as appropriate), you will work as a Communication Systems Responsible Engineer within the spacecraft Avionics team, focusing on the integration of the communications subsystem. You will lead multi-functional trade studies, run integrated analyses, and define interfaces that impact the design and integration of the spacecraft.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Develop Communication system design for one or more in-space architectures.
  • Allocate and decompose higher level functions and requirements to the Communications Subsystems. Support the alignment, documentation, and consistent implementation of Lunar Permanence System engineering practices across applicable projects.
  • Support system and lower-level requirements management, including change control, audits, and coordination with other teams.
  • Support the development and creation of ConOps. Develop, track, and maintain analyses and simulations for Communications Subsystem including: link analysis, signal distortion, system capacity, coverage analysis and performance.
  • Develop subsystem verification and validation activity definitions including verification methods, expectations, and compliance criteria.
  • Coordinate with Integration & Test teams to ensure test facilities (including integration labs) have the required capabilities per requirements definition.
  • Track V&V activities to successful completion, which may include reviewing subsystem test plans and possible travel to test facilities when needed.
  • Support in the definition of vehicle-level interfaces between systems and elements that interact with internal components.
  • Support in the authoring of safety artifacts, including functional hazard assessments and hazard mitigations.
  • Mentor early career systems engineers.


Minimum Qualifications:
  • Minimum of a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering or related technical area
  • 5+ years of experience in communication systems or RF testing Working knowledge of major RF components used in a communication subsystem (SSPA, LNAs, Transceivers, waveguides, antennas, filters, etc.)
  • Strong Communication fundamentals including understanding of digital modulation schemes including various types of QPSK modulation (OQPSK, UQPSK, spread spectrum approaches, etc.), FEC encoding like Reed Solomon and LDCP codes, and the relationship between information rates and RF requirements
  • Experience delivering communications systems for spacecraft applications including experience addressing radiation effects, hardware/software integration, thermal management, etc.
  • Experience integrating communication systems into larger systems, including definition of management and data interfaces using protocols like RS-422, Ethernet, SpaceWire, HDLC, etc.
  • Experience developing static and dynamic RF simulations (link budgets, coverage analyses, line of site simulation, etc.) with tools like HFSS, STK, MATLAB, and/or Python.
  • Working knowledge of space environments and the process to space qualify a communication flight unit
  • Ability to work from incomplete specifications to drive to completion. Proven ability to interpret and apply high-level system requirements to practical design solutions for a complex physical assembly
  • In depth knowledge of systems engineering practices (e.g., requirements development; standard verification methods; functional decomposition; standard diagramming techniques; risk and opportunity management
  • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills


Preferred Qualifications:
  • 5+ years of satellite communication systems, and familiarity with all phases of an RF's product lifecycle from concept, design, manufacture, test, and integration.
  • Knowledge of in-space relay communication protocols and architectures
  • Knowledge of direct-with-earth communications and ranging approaches
  • Knowledge of vehicle-to-vehicle crosslink communications and ranging
  • Working knowledge of simulation software like HFSS for antenna placement studies, Coverage analysis, antenna pattern simulations, ray tracing simulations, and other RF studies.
  • Full-life cycle engineering for a communication system from clean-sheet architecture definition through to operations planning and support.
  • Experience writing RF test procedures and performing subsystem level functional tests


Base Pay Range for:
CO applicants is $119,814.00 - $167,738.55WA 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

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