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 diverse team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

This role is part of the New Shepard program. New Shepard is a reusable suborbital rocket system designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Kármán line – the internationally recognized boundary of space. Through operational reusability, New Shepard supports our mission of lowering the cost of access to space.

As the System Architecture - Director of Autonomy and Software, you will lead our team of passionate and accomplished experts helping to define the roadmap for all software aspects of reliable and repeatable human-rated spaceflight. You may already have one or more world-changing technical contributions under your belt, but your passion for aerospace drives you to reach for the stars. You are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and contributing to innovative solutions while demonstrating leadership, technical competence, and attention to detail. Your technical acumen is notable, and you are prepared to lead us through the definition and development of all future New Shepard software.

This position will directly impact the history of human space exploration and will require your dedicated commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable human spaceflight.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead definition of flight, ground, and test software architectures to for robust, real-time, safety-critical, software systems
• Drive software engineering of fault tolerant flight software and autonomy responsible for the overall command and control of autonomous human-rated flight vehicles and ground systems
• Define software specifications for the development and test of software for embedded platforms
• Oversee efforts to integrate software components, create and run unit tests, validate on Hardware-in-the-Loop and release real-time embedded solutions
• Oversee software development and integration testing throughout the product lifecycle
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary product teams to define software capabilities and designs
• Coordinate with hardware, controls and system engineers to plan, develop, and lead system verification and qualification, to ensure software products meet system requirements and safety-critical standards
• Oversee development of rapid prototypes to prove out concepts and quantify technical risks
• Lead and contribute to production of technical documentation for software architecture, design, verification plans

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS degree in Computer Science or similar field
• 10+ years relevant experience in development of flight software and/or autonomy
• Experience with systems integration and hardware-in-the-loop / software-in-the-loop testing
• Experience working with and leading cross-functional teams in a diverse work environment
• Outstanding management, organizational, and time management skills
• Critical thinker with innovative problem-solving skills
• Self-starter with strategic and creative mindset
• Proven experience with planning/scheduling tools including processes such as basis of estimates and integrated master schedules
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Aerospace software expertise
• Experience with command-and-control systems
• C++, Python, Simulink, Linux experience
• DO-178 or mission-critical software experience
• Experience with hardware, firmware, and software integration on electronic components
• Experience with tools such as JIRA, Confluence, and Gitlab
• MS, PhD degree in engineering
• Agile Scrum experience or certification
• Project Management certification (PMP/Certified Project Manager)

Compensation Range for:

WA applicants is $136,620.00-$191,268.00

Other site ranges may differ

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

Inclusivity 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 a diverse, inclusive, and 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.

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 U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

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.

Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

Discretionary bonus: Bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.

Eligibility for benefits varies by role type, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role.

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, diverse, 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, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. 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, gender, 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 “EEO Is the Law,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com.

California Applicant Privacy Notice

If you are a California resident, please reference the CA Applicant Privacy Notice here.