Systems Engineer III (RF / Microwave Systems)

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.

Systems Engineer III (RF/Microwave Systems)

Blue National Security | Special Programs | Mission Engineering & Architecture

The role is part of the Blue National Security business unit, which is focused on delivering advanced space-based capabilities in support of national security missions. Within the Special Programs organization, this team operates at the forefront of mission engineering and architecture, developing next-generation space systems that address the most demanding and consequential challenges in the defense domain.

Special Mentions

- Relocation assistance is available for this position
- Travel expectation: up to 10%
- This is an individual contributor role
- An active TS//SCI security clearance is required prior to start

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

- Develop and maintain system-level requirements for advanced space-based sensing systems, ensuring traceability from mission objectives through subsystem specifications
- Conduct system architecture trade studies and analyses to evaluate design alternatives, performance margins, and technical feasibility
- Author and review key systems engineering artifacts including Concepts of Operations (CONOPs), System Requirements Documents (SRDs), Interface Control Documents (ICDs), and Systems Engineering Management Plans (SEMPs)
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including payload, spacecraft, ground systems, and mission operations to ensure end-to-end system coherence
- Support design reviews and provide technical inputs to R&D program milestones
- Perform link budget analyses and RF system performance assessments relevant to space-based sensing architectures
- Study the design, analyze, and optimize UHF-band antenna systems, including aperture sizing, beam pattern characterization, polarization, and gain/noise performance in the space environment
- Evaluate antenna integration trades including deployable structures, phased array configurations, and feed network design at UHF frequencies
- Engage with government customers and mission partners to understand operational needs and translate them into actionable system requirements
- Support risk identification, mitigation planning, and technical performance measurement (TPM) tracking throughout the program lifecycle

Minimum Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline
- 5+ years of experience in systems engineering within the aerospace, defense, or national security domain
- Demonstrated experience with UHF-band antenna design, including analysis of antenna performance parameters (gain, beamwidth, polarization, impedance matching) in space or airborne environments
- Experience with phased array antenna systems, including electronically steered arrays (ESAs) at UHF frequencies
- Proficiency in RF system performance analysis, including link budgets and system noise figure calculations
- Experience developing and managing system-level requirements using requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, Jama, or equivalent)
- Familiarity with systems engineering processes and standards (e.g., NASA/DoD SE frameworks, MIL-STD-499, or equivalent)
- Experience with space-based RF sensing or surveillance system architectures
- Familiarity with Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) or Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) signal processing concepts and their implications on system design
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear technical documentation and present to different audiences
- Active TS//SCI security clearance
- 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

Preferred Qualifications

- Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field
- Experience with radar system performance modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB, STK, or custom simulation environments)
- Familiarity with space environment effects on RF systems, including ionospheric propagation, Faraday rotation, and thermal cycling impacts on antenna structures
- Prior experience working within a Special Programs or classified program environment
- Experience interfacing with DoD or Intelligence Community (IC) customers

Base Pay Range for:
VA applicants is $130,706.00 - $182,987.70
CO applicants is $119,814.00 - $167,738.55

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

- Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check
- Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
- Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
- Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Benefits