About the job
We are a diverse team of collaborators, doers, and problem-solvers who are committed to a culture of safety. This position directly impacts the history of space exploration and requires a commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable space flight. Join us in lowering the cost of access to space and enabling Blue Origin’s vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth.As the Director of Autonomy for Space Systems Development (SSD), you will report to the Vice President of the Capabilities Directorate, which provides key engineering and business expertise to Blue Origin’s program formulation activities. This position is a key leadership role which leads and develops multi-disciplinary expertise to build Autonomous Systems, defined as autonomous or remotely controlled machines which can perform sensing, understanding, and useful actions in unknown and unstructured environments. Examples may include in-orbit maintenance and repair, and lunar surface activities. Sub-disciplines include computer vision and perception, multi-sensor estimation and control, autonomous planning and decision making, mobility and manipulation, mechatronics design and implementation, and modeling and simulation.We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively support our Blue Horizon vision. Passion for our mission and vision is required!Responsibilities
- Responsible and accountable for directing the technical team to develop and deliver best in class autonomy and robotics support to the SSD portfolio
- Responsible for developing multi-disciplinary expertise to build systems defined by autonomous or remotely controlled machines which can perform sensing, understanding, and useful actions in unknown and unstructured environments
- Responsible for the team in charge of conceptualizing, designing, building, testing, and demonstrating robot prototypes, in dynamic simulation, controlled lab settings, hardware/software-in-the-loop simulations
- Responsible for leading the development and deployment of robotics systems in support of early formulation efforts and existing programs.
- Recruit, hire, manage, and mentor a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team.
- Manage your direct reports’ professional development (e.g., performance reviews, compensation and promotion management, routine one-on-one development conversations) and coach them on performance.
- Perform technical work and provide technical leadership of the highest caliber.
- Monitor technical progress, requirements, budget, schedule, deliverables and risks as well as review recommendations for change with program management.
- Owner of business rhythm reviews and communication paths to senior management supporting program manager and business teams, including: program management reviews weekly/monthly, finance reviews, long term forecasting business plan, and project deep dives.
- Utilize good engineering and business judgement to ensure the most efficient and effective product is designed, manufactured, procured, tested, qualified, and delivered.
- Develop product roadmaps, including incorporation of technologies, working with internal and external customers to understand how your product integrates to meet current and future mission needs.
- Embody, promote, and coach the Blue Origin leadership principles.
- Work and foster a collaborative environment within a team and across multiple supporting organizations and other engineering disciplines.
Qualifications
- 5+ years managing technical teams and/or leading functional groups with responsibility for leading and coaching employees.
- Experience with development of perception, planning, navigation, machine learning, and autonomy systems
- Experience developing system engineering, design and analysis, hardware development/procurement, testing, and operations support for complex scenarios or missions
- Experience and knowledge of autonomous systems including pin-point and safe landing, space rendezvous, formation flying, precision pointing, autonomous initiation and environmental assessment, machine learning, and related behavior
- Experience and knowledge of multi-robot architecture and behavior design
- Experience and knowledge with Autonomous navigation and mobility, Sensor fusion for localization and mapping,
- Experience and knowledge of Learning and estimation of system and interaction models, Distributed estimation, world model building, knowledge sharing, Distributed task recognition, allocation, and scheduling, Embedded C/C++/Python robotic software development for controls and autonomy
- Experience leading multidisciplinary development projects, including managing requirements, priorities, scope, schedule, and cost.
- Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Minimum of a B.S. degree in Electrical, Aerospace, Computer engineering or ,another technical field.
- 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.
Desired
- Familiar with agile project management.
- Experience with robotics and/or automation development and testing
- Experience with critical path scheduling, IMP/IMS, risk management, requirements management, and Cost Account Management such as EVM.
Don’t meet every single requirement? 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 a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.Compensation range for on site CO applicants is $180,562-$264,825Compensation range for on site WA applicants is $190,687-$279,675Compensation range for on site CA applicants is $190,687-$279,675Other site ranges may differExport Control RegulationsApplicants 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.Equal Employment OpportunityBlue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified, diverse, and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For more information on “EEO Is the Law,” please see here and here.Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Washington Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws.Affirmative Action and Disability AccommodationApplicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com.BenefitsEmployee Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short and long-term disability and 401(k) with up to 5% company match.Paid Time Off: Provides up to 4 weeks per year, in addition to 14 holidaysDiscretionary bonus programs