Principal Autonomous Navigation Engineer

Blue Origin LLC; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 173,000 - 243,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC seeks a Principal Autonomous Navigation Engineer to shape onboard autonomous navigation for cislunar and interplanetary missions. You will lead development of optical and radiometric processing, define end-to-end navigation, and drive a roadmap for full autonomy while coordinating with GNC, avionics, and flight software teams.

The role includes mentoring engineers, delivering results for lunar and Mars programs, and contributing to live ground and flight navigation operations as

Qualifications

• MS in Aerospace Engineering or related field required.
• 10+ years in spacecraft navigation/astrodynamics.
• Experience developing orbit determination algorithms and autonomous navigation.
• Proficiency with optical navigation techniques (camera calibration, star-based navigation, terrain-relative nav).

Responsibilities

• Define onboard autonomous navigation architecture for cislunar/interplanetary missions.
• Lead integration of optical and radiometric processing into onboard algorithms.
• Drive roadmap for deep space navigation capability maturation.
• Collaborate with GNC, avionics, flight software, and systems engineering teams.
• Mentor navigation engineers and enforce best practices in development and testing.

Skills

Orbit determination algorithms

Estimation theory

Optical navigation techniques

Python

C++

Monte Carlo

STK/ODTK

GMAT

Monte Carlo methods

Education

MS in Aerospace Engineering

PhD in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

STK/ODTK

GMAT

FreeFlyer

Jira

Git

Docker

Job description

## Principal Autonomous Navigation EngineerApply: Denver, CO: Reston, VA: Full time: Posted Today: R67279Application 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.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!**Lead the Next Generation of Deep Space Navigation**Blue Origin's Blue National Security business unit is extending humanity's reach beyond Earth orbit. Blue Ring, our multi-mission space vehicle, is designed to operate across cislunar, heliocentric, and interplanetary regimes — including missions around the Moon and Mars that will serve as critical infrastructure for humanity's expansion into deep space. These missions demand navigation solutions that go far beyond traditional ground-in-the-loop paradigms, operating with increasing autonomy across multiple dynamically complex environments. 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. As a Principal Autonomous Navigation Engineer on the Astrodynamics and Trajectory eXecution (ATX) team, you will serve as the technical authority for developing autonomous onboard navigation capabilities that will define future deep space missions. While our vision is fully autonomous deep space navigation, near-term missions will rely on robust ground-based orbit determination. This role also requires subject matter expertise in ground-based statistical orbit determination using radiometric measurements, which you will apply to operational missions while simultaneously leading the development of autonomous navigation systems for the future. You will integrate optical and radiometric techniques into a coherent autonomous navigation architecture spanning ground and spacecraft, driving design from concept through flight and shaping the algorithms, software, and operational processes that define Blue Origin's deep space navigation philosophy.This is a must-have position for our lunar and Mars mission portfolio. You will set technical direction, mentor a growing team of navigation engineers, and directly enable mission success across Blue Origin's most ambitious deep space programs.**Your Impact:*** **Shape the Autonomous Navigation Architecture**: Define the end-to-end architecture for onboard autonomous orbit determination, integrating optical and radiometric measurement sources into a coherent, flight-ready navigation system for cislunar and interplanetary missions.* **Lead Deep Space Autonomous Navigation Development**: Own the development and integration of optical and radiometric measurement processing into onboard algorithms for cislunar and interplanetary missions. Drive the technical roadmap from concept through flight implementation, defining the path toward fully autonomous deep space navigation.* **Roadmap the Path to Full Autonomy**: Define the long-range strategy for onboard navigation capability maturation — particularly for deep space regimes with limited ground contact — and drive its implementation across the Blue Ring fleet.* **Support Ground Navigation Operations**: Contribute to live ground-based orbit determination alongside the ATX team when operational missions require hands-on navigation support.* **Execute Ground-Based Navigation Processing**: Apply your subject matter expertise in statistical orbit determination using radiometric and optical measurements to deliver navigation solutions for early lunar and Mars missions as Blue Origin's autonomous capabilities mature.* **Collaborate Across Disciplines**: Interface with GNC, avionics, flight software, systems engineering, and flight operations teams to ensure onboard navigation algorithms are properly integrated, supported by flight hardware, and validated end-to-end.* **Mentor and Lead**: Provide technical leadership and mentorship to navigation engineers; establish best practices for algorithm development, testing, and verification.* **Deliver Excellence**: Present results and support critical design reviews using Agile development methodologies.**Minimum Qualifications:*** M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields.* 10+ years of proven experience in spacecraft navigation, orbit determination, or related astrodynamics disciplines.* Demonstrated experience developing and implementing orbit determination algorithms.* Experience with optical navigation techniques (e.g., camera calibration, optical centroiding, terrain-relative navigation, star-based navigation, landmark tracking).* Strong fundamentals in astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, and estimation theory.* Applied experience in navigation tools such as Monte, STK/ODTK, FreeFlyer, or GMAT.* Experience in at least one of the following: Python, Julia, or C++.* Demonstrated ability to define navigation requirements.* Excellent verbal and written communication skills.* Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.* Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.**Preferred Qualifications:*** Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields.* Experience with cislunar or interplanetary mission navigation.* Experience with radiometric navigation techniques (Doppler, ranging, VLBI, or similar).* Experience developing or deploying autonomous/onboard navigation systems in flight.* Experience with optical navigation in deep space approach and proximity operations.* Experience with GNC algorithm development and flight software integration.* Experience with maneuver planning & execution* Experience with rendezvous & proximity operations* Experience leading a navigation team through design, development, and operational deployment.* Demonstrated knowledge of the mission design lifecycle from conceptualization through operational flight.* Experience with DevOps processes including configuration control, continuous integration/deployment, Agile methodologies, and code review.* Previous experience with software development tooling such as Jira, git, Jenkins, Docker, and at least one IDE.* Willingness or ability to acquire Active Top Secret (TS) / Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance with Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) with polygraph preferred.### Base Pay Range for:VA applicants is $183,193.00 - $256,469.85CO applicants is $173,466.00 - $242,851.35