Senior Flight Controls Lead: Hypersonic & Reentry

Blue Origin; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 157,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Stock options

Paid time off

Education support

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a senior Control Lead to architect and verify flight control systems for next‑generation vehicles. You will drive actuation control design, perform model-based analyses, and guide a team of GNC engineers through rigorous tests including hardware‑in‑the‑loop and flight testing.

The role emphasizes leadership, advanced control techniques, and collaboration across disciplines to ensure safety, performance, and reliability in hypersonic reentry and transonic regimes.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in the design, development, and analysis of flight control systems.
• Demonstrated experience with flap actuation control systems.
• In-depth knowledge of hypersonic and transonic flight dynamics.
• Proficiency in MATLAB, Simulink, and other control system design and analysis tools.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible for the U.S. employment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of flight control systems, including the design and analysis of control laws for aerodynamic surfaces.
• Oversee the development of models and simulations for flap actuation control systems.
• Conduct analysis and trade studies for vehicle performance in hypersonic reentry and transonic flight regimes.
• Lead the verification and validation of flight control systems through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and flight testing.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to a team of GNC engineers.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure integration of the flight control system with the vehicle.
• Develop and maintain design specifications, test plans, and analysis reports.

Skills

Flight control systems

MATLAB/Simulink

C++

Python

Hypersonic dynamics

Hardware-in-the-loop

Modeling & simulations

Leadership & communication

Education

Master's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical engineering

PhD in related field (preferred)

Tools

C++

Python

Job description

Blue Origin is seeking a senior Control Lead to architect and verify flight control systems for next‑generation vehicles. You will drive actuation control design, perform model-based analyses, and guide a team of GNC engineers through rigorous tests including hardware‑in‑the‑loop and flight testing.

The role emphasizes leadership, advanced control techniques, and collaboration across disciplines to ensure safety, performance, and reliability in hypersonic reentry and transonic regimes.