Principal Radar and Radio Frequency Sensors Engineer

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 of multi-disciplinary engineers, you will be the single threaded leader for development of radar systems for autonomous navigation and other applications for Blue Origin’s spacecraft. You will lead a multidisciplinary team for development of radar and other radio frequency (RF) sensor systems from early concepts to product prototypes to initial flight units. This role is deeply interdisciplinary and requires coordination among a group of internal stakeholders and suppliers.  

• Develop, execute, and manage plans for the design, development, test, and qualification of radar sensor systems for autonomous spacecraft navigation 

• Lead a team of engineers and technicians across multiple product teams to guide the design and development, and deliver qualified radar and RF sensor product solutions on schedule and budget 

• Work with guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) and other product teams to identify needs for radar systems, support formulation of sensor architectures, and deliver radar product definitions that meet navigation requirements 

• Serve as subject matter expert on radar systems and other RF sensor applications 

• Routinely collaborate with manufacturing operations, supply chain, and other teams within the company to ensure smooth execution of the development efforts 

• Identify cross-cutting capabilities and needs across Blue Origin, consolidate demand, and formulate efficient strategies for development of radar and RF sensor capabilities 

• Work with the GN&C and other product teams to understand their product portfolio, long term applicability, and inform development of their RF sensor and navigation product roadmaps  

• Develop RF sensor product evolution plans and strategies, execute projects for their continuous improvement, and oversee their infusion in to our spacecraft 

• Relentlessly look for opportunities to increase performance, enable new capabilities and bolder missions, reduce cost, and reduce cycle time/production time  

• M.S. in Physics, electrical engineering or related areas of study 

• 10+ years of experience in end to end development of RF sensor systems 

• Demonstrated experience in leading teams for the development, prototyping, testing of complex radio frequency sensors or instruments for aerospace, automotive, or robotics 

• Proficiency of fundamentals of RF system development - radar system design and analysis, radar principles, and experience in RF system modeling and simulation 

• Deep knowledge of RF sensor components, and analysis equipment  

• Experience in waveform design, signal processing techniques and algorithms for radar sensor measurements such as altimetry and Doppler velocimetry

• Experience in product schedule, cost, delivery, and supplier management 

• Ability to challenge status-quo, break down issues to their fundamental elements, and drive efficient product solutions with emphasis on long term goals and product sustainability  

• Excellent verbal communication skills to influence a variety of direct and indirect stakeholders.  

• Strong technical background or technical writing experience.  

• 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.  

• PhD in Physics, Aerospace Engineering with focus on RF engineering and digital signal processing

• Knowledge of RF sensor applications to space navigation including autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking (RPOD), and autonomous precision landing and hazard detection 

• Knowledge of synthetic aperture techniques 

• Demonstrated experience in leading technical teams through successful product deliveries 

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.