Principal Autonomous Navigation Engineer

Blue Origin; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Principal Autonomous Navigation Engineer to lead onboard autonomous navigation capabilities for deep space missions. You will drive end-to-end architecture, integrate optical and radiometric data, and guide the ATX team across lunar and Mars programs.

You will mentor navigation engineers, coordinate with GNC, avionics, flight software, and systems engineering, and shape the long-term roadmap toward fully autonomous navigation in cislunar and interplanetary regimes.

Qualifications

• MS in Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of proven experience in spacecraft navigation, orbit determination, or related astrodynamics.

Responsibilities

• Shape the Autonomous Navigation Architecture for onboard navigation and combined optical/radiometric sources.
• Lead development and integration of processing into onboard algorithms for deep space missions.
• Define long-range strategy for autonomy and drive implementation across the Blue Ring fleet.
• Support live ground navigation operations when required by missions.
• Execute ground-based navigation processing using radiometric and optical measurements.
• Collaborate with GNC, avionics, flight software, systems engineering, and operations teams.
• Provide mentorship to navigation engineers and establish best practices.
• Present results and support critical design reviews using Agile methodologies.

Skills

Autonomous navigation

Astrodynamics

Orbit determination

Ground-based navigation

Statistical orbit determination

Education

MS in Aerospace Engineering or related field

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 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 - includingmissions around the Moon andMars 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.

• CollaborateAcrossDisciplines: Interface with GNC, avionics, flight software, systems engineering, and flight operations teams to ensure onboard navigation algorithms are properly integrated, supported by flight hardware,andvalidatedend-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