Embedded Software Engineer Levels II and III

Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area · $164,652–$230,513 (stated in the posting)

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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!  

Lunar Permanence 

Develop high-reliability embedded software that commands, controls and safeguards lunar avionics - from first board bring-up to verified operation and autonomous fault recovery. Join Blue Origin's Lunar Permanence business unit to build software for Blue Moon landers and related products, helping create sustainable infrastructure to transport crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface. 

Within Core Avionics, work where software meets sensors, processors and FPGA-based hardware. Develop the drivers, real-time components and verification tools behind command and data handling, electrical power systems, cameras, lidars, radars, radios and network switches. Work with avionics, systems and test engineers to take software from requirements through hardware integration and verification. 

Use AI-assisted development to investigate failures and build stronger automated tests, with engineering review and verification on hardware. Help explore edge AI - running inference locally on embedded devices - for onboard sensor processing, health monitoring and anomaly detection. Turn ideas into prototypes and measure their behavior alongside real-time software. 

Your work will advance Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. 

Special Mentions 

• Hiring levels: Level II and Level III. Placement reflects relevant experience, technical depth, independence and scope of ownership. 

• Locations: Kent, WA; Merritt Island, FL; Denver, CO; Los Angeles, CA. 

• Relocation: Relocation assistance is available for this position. 

• Travel: Depending on your work location, up to 20% travel may be required to support hardware deliveries, meetings and reviews. 

Responsibilities 

• Develop board support packages (BSPs), software loaders, sensor and peripheral drivers, hardware abstraction layers and middleware for I/O and built-in test (BIT). 

• Implement software for peripheral and sensor interfaces such as I2C, SPI, UART, MIPI, GMSL and CameraLink; SoC interconnects such as AXI within AMBA; and communication interfaces such as SpaceWire, Aurora, TCP/IP and UDP. 

• Develop real-time software with reliable multitasking and synchronization. Diagnose timing, concurrency, memory and hardware-interface issues. 

• Bring up and integrate embedded hardware using circuit schematics, datasheets, register maps, software debuggers and laboratory instruments. 

• Collaborate with FPGA and hardware engineers on register interfaces, interrupts, DMA and hardware/software partitioning for sensor I/O and embedded processing. 

• Contribute to edge AI prototypes that connect sensor data to inference running on embedded hardware. Measure latency, memory use and compute demand, and verify behavior under representative operating and fault conditions. 

• Implement autonomous fault-recovery software for safety-critical avionics and verify recovery behavior under representative fault conditions. 

• Write unit tests using appropriate testing frameworks. Automate functional, integration and regression verification across software-in-the-loop (SIL), processor-in-the-loop (PIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments as appropriate, linking test results to software requirements. 

• Investigate software anomalies, reproduce failures and verify corrective actions with the team. Follow applicable software safety, quality and mission-assurance practices, with guidance appropriate to your level. 

• Apply AI-assisted tools to implementation, debugging, test generation and documentation; review generated work for correctness and verify its behavior on target hardware. 

• Contribute to code and design reviews, maintain clear engineering documentation, and improve automated testing and continuous integration with the team. 

Level II Deliver embedded components and projects 

Experience: 2+ years of relevant experience in embedded software or related engineering work. 

Take a defined driver, BSP or embedded software project through implementation, hardware integration and verification, with technical direction and design review from experienced engineers. 

• Develop and test sensor interfaces, real-time components and fault-recovery behavior within reviewed designs. 

• Debug hardware/software issues, verify fixes and communicate progress and technical risks. 

• Build expertise in the components you deliver and contribute improvements to code, tests and tools. 

Level III Own an embedded subsystem 

Experience: 6+ years of relevant experience in embedded software or related engineering work. 

Own an embedded subsystem or ongoing platform capability from requirements and design through integration, verification and release. Drive delivery independently, with technical review of key design decisions. 

• Design reliable subsystem architectures, reusable interfaces and autonomous safety-critical fault-recovery code. Apply deep real-time expertise to difficult timing, multitasking and synchronization problems. 

• Coordinate hardware/software dependencies, own subsystem verification and design reviews, and guide less experienced engineers. 

• Own embedded integration and verification for selected edge AI prototypes, including sensor-data interfaces, inference-runtime behavior and interaction with real-time workloads. 

Qualifications for both levels 

• BS in computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering or a related technical field. 

• Embedded software development skills in C, C++ or Rust, with experience delivering software on target hardware. 

• Hands-on experience developing software for real-time embedded systems, including multitasking and synchronization. 

• Proficiency developing and debugging drivers for sensors and embedded peripherals and working with low-level hardware interfaces. 

• Proficiency applying testing frameworks and writing unit tests; familiarity with automated testing and continuous integration. 

• Understanding of computer architecture and memory management, including memory buses, caches, DMA and memory allocation in embedded systems. 

• Familiarity reading circuit schematics, datasheets and register maps and performing basic hardware debugging to resolve hardware/software interactions. 

• Proficiency with Git for version control and collaborative code review. 

• Strong problem-solving skills, excellent communication and a commitment to a collaborative team culture. 

• Commitment to engineering quality, safe human spaceflight and Blue Origin's mission. 

Preferred experience 

Prior experience in the areas below is helpful, but not required for either level. We support learning through mentoring and hands-on work; candidates do not need experience with every listed tool, platform or standard. 

• Experience with software loaders, I/O/BIT middleware and hardware abstraction layers; reliable architectures or autonomous fault recovery for critical systems. 

• Knowledge of multiple processor architectures, such as ARM and x86; experience with real-time operating systems such as QNX and SafeRTOS, or embedded Linux built with Yocto. 

• Python and pytest for automated verification, including reusable fixtures, parameterized tests and test-result reporting. 

• Exposure to SIL, PIL or HIL testing, requirements traceability, software anomaly investigation or preparation of verification evidence for release readiness. 

• AI coding assistants and automated test-generation tools, with experience evaluating generated code and tests for correctness, maintainability and real-time behavior. 

• CI/CD environments such as GitLab, with Jira for work tracking and Confluence for engineering documentation. 

• Embedded SoCs, hardware accelerators and signal or image processing within sensor data paths; experience developing spaceflight or other mission-critical software. 

• FPGA-based platforms and software interfaces to programmable logic; exposure to VHDL, Verilog or SystemVerilog is a plus. 

• Edge AI or embedded ML inference integration, including deployment of inference runtimes on CPUs, SoCs or FPGA-based platforms and optimization for latency, memory and compute constraints. 

• Familiarity with TinyML on resource-constrained microcontrollers, including quantized inference and memory, compute and power tradeoffs. 

• Familiarity with software safety and assurance practices such as NASA NPR 7150.2D, ISO 26262, or DO-178C development and verification at DAL A or DAL B. Prior experience with these standards is optional; this knowledge can be developed through team guidance and on-the-job learning. 

• MS in a relevant technical field. 

Base Pay Range for:

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.

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