Machine Learning Engineer, Radar Perception II/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! 

This role is part of Blue National Security (BNS), where our focus is the design, development, and delivery of launch and spacecraft systems for national security missions. Through Blue Ring, our all-in-one, high-powered hybrid solar-electric and chemical-propelled spacecraft, we provide unmatched mission maneuverability, versatility, and capacity at dramatically lower-profile costs.

Blue National Security | Autonomy & Intelligent Mission Products

Within the Autonomy & Intelligent Mission Products organization, this team operates at the forefront of AI-enabled products, developing next-generation products that address the most demanding and consequential challenges in the defense domain.

Special Mentions

• Relocation assistance is available for this position

• Travel expectation: up to 10%

• This is an individual contributor role

• Ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance

Job Description

Why this role Turning radar returns into a confident answer about what an object is and how it behaves is still an open problem. On this team, you'll own the AI layer that takes raw radar data, finds objects of interest, and characterizes them well enough that the autonomy stack or operator can act on the result. You will be developing technology where labeled data is scarce, hardware resources are constrained, and the output matters. This is a new development program where you get to decide the model architecture.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Design, train and evaluate deep learning models (GNNs, transformers, DRL, Learned Algorithm Unfolding or hybrids) that find and classify objects of interest in raw radar data as well as range-Doppler and range-angle maps.
• Build characterization models that estimate object attributes such as size, shape, motion state, track, behavior, with calibrated uncertainty.
• Represent radar data in the right form for each model, for example point or track graphs for GNNs.
• Build the data engine: synthetic data generation, simulation-based training, labeling strategy, augmentation, and handling of class imbalance.
• Detect inputs that fall outside the training data, and flag low-confidence results so downstream systems know when not to trust the model.
• Work with the Advanced Systems, DSP, GNC, and flight software teams to define how data is handed between stages and to deploy models on embedded or edge hardware.
• Define the metrics, test sets, and evidence needed to qualify ML models for deployment to the edge.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related field, plus about 3 years of ML engineering experience.
• A track record of building and shipping deep learning models in PyTorch (or similar).
• Edge deployment (TensorRT, quantization, FPGA or SoC targets).
• Strong Python skills
• Working knowledge of radar fundamentals: Radar bands and usage, link budgets, clutter mitigation, RCS, detection probability, and tracking.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) or Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) signal processing concepts and their implications on system design
• Experience with sensor data from radar, sonar, SAR, lidar, or RF.
• Training on synthetic or simulated data, and closing the gap between simulation and real data.
• Uncertainty quantification, calibration, or out-of-distribution detection.
• Experience with embedded C++
• Active TS/SCI

What you get in this role

• Ownership from the start. You'll define the radar AI architecture on a new program.
• Work that matters. Your models will directly support national security missions in space.
• Hard problems. Very little labeled data, unknown environments, and edge deployment, which is where ML engineering is most interesting.
• Strong peers. You'll work alongside AI/ML, RF, sensing, GNC, and flight software engineers who build systems for space.

Base Pay Range for:

VA applicants is $130,706.00 - $182,987.70
CO applicants is $119,814.00 - $167,738.55

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.