Digital Hardware Design Engineer III - TeraWave

BLUE ORIGIN • Los Angeles, CA

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About The Position

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 TeraWave, a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This network will service tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations. As a Digital Hardware Design Engineer III at Blue Origin, you will be responsible for the electrical design and development of complex mixed-signal printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) for our next-generation space communication systems. You will own the complete board-level design process from architecture and component selection through schematic capture and signal integrity analysis, ensuring that our beamforming ASICs, digital front-ends, and software-defined radio systems meet stringent performance requirements for space applications. This is a hands-on hardware engineering role focused on translating system requirements into robust, manufacturable circuit designs. You will work at the intersection of high-speed digital design, RF/microwave engineering, and power systems, selecting components and creating schematics for boards that must operate reliably in the harsh space environment. This position offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge hardware that will enable revolutionary space communication capabilities aboard Blue Origin spacecraft.

Requirements

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field with 5+ years of PCB design experience
• Proficiency with PCB design tools (Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro, or similar)
• Strong understanding of signal integrity principles for high-speed digital design (transmission lines, termination, crosstalk)
• Experience with controlled impedance design and working with PCB stackup optimization
• Knowledge of EMI/EMC best practices and design guidelines
• Familiarity with IPC standards (IPC-2221, IPC-6012, IPC-A-610)
• Experience with PCB layout for FPGAs, high-speed ADCs/DACs, or mixed-signal designs

Nice To Haves

• Experience with RF/microwave PCB design using high-frequency laminates (Rogers, Taconic, etc.)
• Knowledge of power integrity analysis tools (e.g., Ansys SIwave, Cadence Sigrity)
• Familiarity with thermal analysis tools and thermal management techniques for high-power electronics
• Experience designing for space environment (vacuum, thermal cycling, radiation, vibration)
• Understanding of design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for test (DFT) principles
• Knowledge of conformal coating, potting, and other space-qualification techniques
• Previous experience with aerospace or satellite PCB designs
• Familiarity with MIL-STD or NASA standards for PCB design

Responsibilities

• Design complete board-level electrical systems including power distribution, high-speed digital interfaces, clock generation/distribution, and analog signal conditioning
• Perform component research, evaluation, and selection with consideration for performance, availability, qualification status, radiation tolerance, and cost
• Create detailed electrical schematics using industry-standard ECAD tools, ensuring design for manufacturability, testability, and reliability
• Conduct signal integrity analysis for high-speed interfaces (PCIe Gen3/4, JESD204B/C, DDR4, 10/25/100/200GbE) using simulation tools
• Perform power integrity analysis and design robust power distribution networks (PDNs) for FPGAs, ASICs, and high-speed data converters
• Design clock distribution networks with careful attention to jitter, phase noise, and timing margins
• Specify and design impedance-controlled transmission lines for digital and RF signals
• Analyze crosstalk, EMI/EMC, and grounding/shielding strategies for mixed-signal boards
• Collaborate with PCB designers on stack up definition, routing constraints, and layout guidance
• Generate and maintain Bills of Materials (BOMs), managing component lifecycle and obsolescence
• Support board bring-up, debugging hardware issues, and conducting design validation testing
• Create test plans and procedures for board-level functional verification
• Interface with DSP engineers, FPGA designers, and systems engineers to translate requirements into hardware specifications
• Conduct design reviews and generate technical documentation

Benefits

• Benefits include: 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%, and an Education Support Program.
• Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
• Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation.
• Please check with your recruiter for more details.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level