FPGA Electrical Engineer III

Application close date:

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

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 a member of the Blue Origin family of companies Honeybee Robotics has been at the forefront of robotics for over 40 years, establishing ourselves as pioneers in developing novel exploration systems for the most extreme planetary environments. At our Southern California location, we look to "Touch Life" by supporting planetary science, including every NASA Mars rover since Spirit and Opportunity. We aim to "Mine the Sky" through the development of practical In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) solutions. We search for technically brilliant individuals in engineering, software, and support fields who take ownership of their work, enjoy collaborating in teams, and have a laser focus on the details that drive excellence.

Honeybee Robotics' Exploration Systems division is seeking an Electrical Engineer specializing in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). In this role you will be interfacing with inter-disciplinary project teams to develop custom avionics systems and motor controllers for robotic missions to the Moon, Mars, Titan, and elsewhere around the solar system. You will be responsible for flight avionics development, rovers, deployable structures, and geotechnical science instruments used in planetary exploration and space applications. In this role you’ll interface with electrical design, mechanical, test, systems, integration, software and control engineering disciplines throughout the entire product lifecycle from conception to flight ready hardware.

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!

Special Mentions:

• This is an onsite role at our Altadena, CA office
• Relocation assistance is provided

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a flight FPGA design owner within small teams of electrical engineers throughout a project life cycle (design, build, test, deliver). This includes close collaboration and independent work, as well as some mentoring of more junior engineers
• FPGA hardware design and bare metal programming, optimization, bring-up, and V&V
  • Design and develop digital hardware architectures for embedded robotic systems in extreme environments
  • Create and implement RTL code for critical SoC blocks and interfaces
  • Contribute to architecture optimization for performance, power, and cost trade-offs
  • Collaborate on design verification to ensure robust and reliable designs
  • Support prototype development for early validation
  • Document design specifications, architecture decisions, and implementation details
  • Participate in design reviews and technical discussions with cross-functional teams
  • Troubleshoot and debug digital design issues
  • Implement interfaces between digital hardware and firmware/software components
• Checkout of custom high-reliability PCBs for various avionics applications
• Define and execute tests at the integrated assembly level in avionics development labs, environmental test labs, radiation test labs and vendor test labs
• Apply technical expertise to problem solving throughout product lifecycle, including design review support and verification planning and execution, scheduling, etc.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of a B.S. in Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of developing and testing complex hardware equipment over the entire product lifecycle
• Proficiency in SystemVerilog or Verilog for RTL implementation
• Experience with SoC integration and interface design
• Understanding of digital timing and synchronization concepts
• Knowledge of industry-standard bus protocols (AXI, AHB, etc.)
• Familiarity with synthesis tools and RTL-to-gates methodology
• Experience with simulation and debugging of complex digital systems
• Strong background in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) and FPGA tool flow
• Passion for hands-on problem solving and avionics integration and test
• Ability to work independently on avionics programs with aggressive schedules
• Highly organized, safety and quality conscious, with excellent technical written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in related engineering or technical field
• 8+ years of experience in developing hardware across entire product lifecycle
• Experience using Microchip Libero design tools
• Experience implementing custom FPGA-based motor controllers
• Experience developing and testing complex electronic systems combining hardware, firmware, and software
• Experience leading the development and testing of embedded/motorized/power systems
• Proficiency with scripting; programming and analysis/modeling tools: Python, Linux/Windows shell scripting; assembly language, C, C++; MATLAB / Simulink / SPICE (or similar)
• Experience using Altium to design complex printed circuit boards

Base Pay Range for:

CA 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.

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.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

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.

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 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. 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, sex, 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 “Know Your Rights,” 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. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.