Motor Controls Engineer - Lunar Avionics

Blue Origin; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 107,136 - 149,990; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Paid parental leave

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Blue Origin in Seattle is hiring a Motor Controls Engineer to work within the Lunar Permanence business unit. In this role, you will develop motor control embedded software and collaborate with various subsystems for lunar vehicles.

The ideal candidate will hold a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and have at least 3 years of experience in avionics or control systems. Responsibilities include software development, integration, and ensuring alignment with reliability standards.

Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of avionics hardware and/or control system design.
• Experience with electromechanical system modeling.
• Hands-on experience with development and production hardware.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own embedded software for motor controllers.
• Test, verify, and integrate motor control designs.
• Communicate development status and challenges to management.

Skills

Control algorithms

Embedded software development

Matlab/Simulink

Motor control systems

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Tools

C/C++

Motor controllers

Job description

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 the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin's Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

As part of a collaborative, hardworking team, the Motor Controls Engineer will be a member of the Power and Controls team within Lunar Avionics, working within a tightly knit group that is developing motor controllers for numerous applications across Blue Origin's Lunar vehicles. They will be responsible for developing control algorithms and implementing motor controller embedded software, as well as working with various sub‑system teams (cryogenic fluids, docking mechanisms, space suit interfaces, and more) to integrate these controllers with the various actuators in these systems.

The role will also be responsible for planning their project work and verifying that their designs meet requirements across performance limits and environmental conditions and meet Blue Origin's reliability and safety standards for human space flight. This role also provides the opportunity to work with, and learn from, experts in the motor control field.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Work with your team to deliver a family of motor controllers to multiple lunar vehicles
• Develop and own, with your team, the motor control embedded software used across motor controllers
• Test, verify, and integrate motor control designs with Lunar vehicle subsystems
• Support design risk analyses, failure modes effects and criticality analyses (FMECA), and root‑cause analysis of test discrepancies
• Participate in program level technology development, mission assurance and safety initiatives, and avionics development process improvements
• Work with motor control applications in the field, and co‑develop customer‑facing requirements and verification plans
• Effectively communicate development status, risks, and challenges to management

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or related discipline
• 3+ years of avionics hardware and/or control system design
• Experience with Matlab/Simulink and autocode generation in HDL or C/C++
• Experience with electromechanical system modeling and calibration against physical systems
• Experience with implementing high-performance control algorithms in resource constrained MCUs
• Experience working with motor controllers, lab equipment, and dynamometers
• Hands‑on experience with development and production hardware
• Familiarity with embedded hardware, including inverters, gate drivers, ADCs, SPI, I2C, UART, PWM, and MCUs. Prior history of successfully implementing control algorithms in real‑world systems
• Desire to work hands‑on, both independently and as part of a team, throughout the development and production phases of the electronic assembly product lifecycle
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and supply to a culture of collaboration

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, or related disciplines
• 5+ years of experience in design, development, test, and operation of vehicle Avionics systems
• Experience with electric motor controls, including field-oriented control, trapezoidal commutation, sensorless control, motion control, field weakening, overmodulation, third harmonic injection, resolver-to-digital conversion, and/or stepper motor control
• Experience with formal verification of control systems
• Additional experience with various motor controls, power conversion topologies, and control systems embedded software development experience using C/C++
• Knowledge of radiation effects on electronics and how to apply this to designs targeting space applications
• Experience with launch vehicle Avionics systems hardware development, integration, and test

Compensation Range for: WA applicants is $107,136.00 - $149,990.40

Other site ranges may differ

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 (CDL drivers only), 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 workforce. 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 Affiliation Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.