Lidar and Camera Development Engineer - Lunar Avionics Verified today

About the Role

You will join the Optical Systems group within Lunar Avionics as a Lidar and Camera Development Engineer. This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin's Blue Moon landers and related products for sustainable infrastructure supporting crew and cargo transport to the lunar surface.

You will work within a tightly knit team developing advanced lidar and camera systems for Blue Origin's lunar vehicles. You will participate in the full life cycle of optical sensor systems from early concepts to product prototypes to qualified and deployed flight hardware. These systems enable rendezvous, navigation, proximity operations, docking, and manned crew applications.

This role is deeply interdisciplinary and requires coordination among internal stakeholders, adjacent integrated product teams, and suppliers. Your contributions will enable the flight of state-of-the-art aerospace vehicles and missions.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate in the development of lidar and vision-based optical sensor hardware for guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) of crewed and uncrewed lander systems
• Coordinate and contribute to multidisciplinary design of lidar and complex systems incorporating lasers, optics, optomechanical elements, electronics, and FPGAs
• Support the fabrication and lab testing of prototype hardware
• Contribute to and lead procurement, vendor coordination, delivery, acceptance, installation, verification, validation, qualification, and certification of component hardware
• Support the development and execution of component-level test programs, including sensor characterization, calibration, performance modeling, and integrated on-vehicle testing
• Guide environmental testing (shock/vibration, thermal vacuum, etc.) and flight tests to validate top-level system specifications and establish sensor performance specifications
• Support design risk analyses, failure modes effects and criticality analyses (FMECA), design for test/manufacture/cost (DFx), and root-cause analysis of test discrepancies
• Participate in program level technology development, mission assurance, safety initiatives, and avionics development process improvements
• Effectively communicate development status, risks, and challenges to management

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Imaging Science, or related area of study
• 5 or more years working with lidar, laser systems, image sensors, vision-based guidance systems, or related areas
• Experience in the development, prototyping, testing, calibration, and verification of lidar/optical imaging or guidance systems for aerospace, automotive, medical, or robotics applications
• Knowledge of receiver systems and optical detectors
• Understanding of atmospheric propagation, target interaction (speckle, reflectivity, BRDF, etc.), and optical link budgets
• Background working with multidisciplinary optical-based systems involving complex electronics, signal processing, and/or precision opto-mechanical assemblies
• Exposure to product schedule, cost, delivery, and supplier management
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to reach across discipline boundaries to solve integration issues spanning hardware, firmware, and controls
• 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 contribute to a culture of collaboration
• 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

• M.S. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent
• 7 or more years of experience in design, development, test, and operation of complex opto-electrical systems
• Experience in design and integration of sensors, cameras, or instruments for space vehicles and/or space environments
• Experience with optical system design and simulation using tools such as Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, FRED, LightTools, etc.
• Knowledge of signal processing and/or image processing techniques
• Knowledge of MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or other programming language
• Experience with analog, digital, or mixed-signal circuit design, including analysis, simulation, test, troubleshooting, and part selection
• Knowledge of signal integrity, power, grounding, and general board layout principles
• Knowledge of radiation effects on electronics and how to apply this to designs targeting space applications

Compensation

Base pay range for Washington applicants: $130,706.00 - $182,987.70 (other site ranges may differ).

Benefits

• 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%
• Education Support Program
• Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
• Paid Time Off: Up to four weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays
• Bonus eligibility based on role type and job level (not guaranteed, subject to change)

Requirements

Applicants 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. A standard background check is required for all positions.