RPOD Spacecraft Guidance & Docking Engineer

Blue Origin; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 150,931 - 211,303; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking an experienced RPOD engineer to define Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking concepts for Lunar missions. You will support GN&C analysis, develop hardware/software solutions, and ensure RPOD operations meet safety and reliability targets.

The role covers the full lifecycle from architecture to flight, with emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, simulation, and data analysis to solve complex navigation challenges.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in a technical subject area (aerospace, mechanical, electrical, CS, physics).
• Proven depth in guidance, navigation, control, simulation or flight software.
• Solid knowledge of astrodynamics and relative motion of space objects.
• 7+ years designing and implementing RPOD systems.
• Experience with real-time embedded software development on spacecraft or launch vehicle systems (C++ or Rust).

Responsibilities

• Perform trajectory analyses, safety gates, and RPOD operation requirements.
• Coordinate RPOD concepts of operations for multiple Lunar missions and vehicles.
• Decompose RPOD requirements across GN&C, mechanical, comms, docking targets, and mission systems.
• Support navigation sensor hardware/software design and verification.
• Develop navigation estimation methods and filtering techniques.
• Create and maintain interfaces and data pathways for RPOD components.
• Lead RPOD V&V activities, including flight demonstrations.
• Develop tooling to improve team productivity and efficiency.

Skills

RPOD systems

Guidance navigation control

Astrodynamics

Real-time embedded software (C++/Rust)

Kalman filtering

Computer vision

Data analysis

Test planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace / mechanical / electrical / computer science / physics

Job description

Blue Origin is seeking an experienced RPOD engineer to define Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking concepts for Lunar missions. You will support GN&C analysis, develop hardware/software solutions, and ensure RPOD operations meet safety and reliability targets.

The role covers the full lifecycle from architecture to flight, with emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, simulation, and data analysis to solve complex navigation challenges.