Lidar & Camera Systems Engineer for Spacecraft GN&C

Blue Origin LLC; Washington; On-site; USD 131,000 - 183,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Lidar and Camera Development Engineer to join the Lunar Avionics Optical Systems group. You will contribute to the end-to-end lifecycle of advanced optical sensor systems for rendezvous, navigation, and docking on lunar spacecraft, collaborating across hardware, firmware, and controls teams.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, lab testing, and supplier coordination to ensure robust performance in space environments and flight hardware readiness.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Imaging Science or related area.
• 5+ years with lidar, laser systems, image sensors, or vision-based guidance systems.
• Experience in development, prototyping, testing, calibration, and verification of lidar/optical imaging or guidance systems for aerospace, automotive, medical, or robotics applications.
• U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully permitted to work in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate in the development of lidar- and vision-based optical sensor hardware for guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) of crewed and uncrewed lander systems
• Coordinate, and contribute to, multi-disciplinary design of lidar and other complex systems incorporating lasers, optics, optomechanical elements, electronics, and FPGAs
• Support the fabrication and lab testing of prototype hardware
• Contribute to/lead procurement, vendor coordination, delivery, acceptance, installation, verification, validation, qualification, and certification of component hardware
• Support the development and execution of component-level test programs, including sensor characterization and calibration, sensor performance modeling, and integrated on-vehicle testing
• Guide environmental testing (shock/vibration, thermal vacuum, etc.) and flight tests to validate top-level system specifications and requirements and establish sensor performance specifications
• Support design risk analyses, failure modes effects and criticality analyses (FMECA), design for test/manufacture/cost (DFx), and root-cause analysis of test discrepancies
• Participate in program level technology development, mission assurance and safety initiatives, and avionics development process improvements
• Effectively communicate development status, risks, and challenges to management

Skills

Lidar systems

Optical sensor integration

Prototype lab testing

Vendor coordination

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Education

B.S. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Imaging Science or related field

M.S. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent

Tools

Zemax OpticStudio

Code V

FRED

LightTools

Job description

Blue Origin is seeking a Lidar and Camera Development Engineer to join the Lunar Avionics Optical Systems group. You will contribute to the end-to-end lifecycle of advanced optical sensor systems for rendezvous, navigation, and docking on lunar spacecraft, collaborating across hardware, firmware, and controls teams.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, lab testing, and supplier coordination to ensure robust performance in space environments and flight hardware readiness.