Lidar and Camera Development Engineer - Lunar Avionics

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! 

As part of a hardworking team, the Lidar and Camera Development Engineer will be a member of the Optical Systems group within Lunar Avionics, working within a tightly knit group that is developing advanced lidar and camera systems across Blue Origin’s Lunar vehicles. You will assist in the development of these optical sensor systems for rendezvous, navigation, proximity operations, and docking, along with manned crew applications, for Blue Origin’s spacecraft. You will participate in the full life cycle of these systems from early concepts to product prototypes to qualified and deployed flight hardware. 

This role is deeply interdisciplinary and requires coordination among a group of internal stakeholders, adjacent integrated product teams, and suppliers. Your contributions will enable the flight of state-of-the-art aerospace vehicles and missions.

• Collaborate in the development of lidar- and vision-based optical sensor hardware for guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) of crewed and uncrewed lander systems 
• Coordinate, and contribute to, multi-disciplinary design of lidar and other complex systems incorporating lasers, optics, optomechanical elements, electronics, and FPGAs
• Support the fabrication and lab testing of prototype hardware 
• Contribute to/lead procurement, vendor coordination, delivery, acceptance, installation, verification, validation, qualification, and certification of component hardware 
• Support the development and execution of component-level test programs, including sensor characterization and calibration, sensor performance modeling, and integrated on-vehicle testing 
• Guide environmental testing (shock/vibration, thermal vacuum, etc.) and flight tests to validate top-level system specifications and requirements and establish sensor performance specifications
• Support design risk analyses, failure modes effects and criticality analyses (FMECA), design for test/manufacture/cost (DFx), and root-cause analysis of test discrepancies
• Participate in program level technology development, mission assurance and safety initiatives, and avionics development process improvements
• Effectively communicate development status, risks, and challenges to management

• B.S. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Imaging Science or related area of study 
• 5+ years working with lidar, laser systems, image sensors, vision-based guidance systems, or related areas
• Experience in the development, prototyping, testing, calibration, and verification of lidar/optical imaging or guidance systems for aerospace, automotive, medical, or robotics applications 
• Knowledge of receiver systems and optical detectors
• Understanding of atmospheric propagation, target interaction (speckle, reflectivity, BRDF, etc.), and optical link budgets
• Background working with multidisciplinary optical-based systems involving complex electronics, signal processing, and/or precision opto-mechanical assemblies
• Exposure to product schedule, cost, delivery, and supplier management 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills  
• Ability to reach across discipline boundaries to solve integration issues spanning hardware, firmware, and controls
• Desire to work hands-on, both independently and as part of a team, throughout the development and production phases of the electronic assembly product lifecycle
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and supply to a culture of collaboration
• 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

• M.S. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent 
• 7+ years of experience in design, development, test, and operation of complex opto-electrical systems
• Experience in design and integration of sensors, cameras, or instruments for space vehicles and/or space environments 
• Experience with optical system design and simulation using tools such as Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, FRED, LightTools, etc.
• Knowledge of signal processing and/or image processing techniques 
• Knowledge of MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or other programming language
• Experience with analog, digital or mixed-signal circuit design, including analysis, simulation, test, troubleshooting, and part selection
• Knowledge of signal integrity, power, grounding, and general board layout principles
• Knowledge of radiation effects on electronics and how to apply this to designs targeting space applications

Join us in creating the Road to Space!

Base Pay Range for:

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.