Principal Hardware Engineer – TeraWave Network Switch Platform
Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area ·
- Seniority
- Principal
- Employment
- Full time
- Category
- Hardware
- Experience
- 10+ years
Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area ·
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!
Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.Principal Hardware Engineer – Network Switch Platform
Blue Origin's Emerging Systems business unit is building TeraWave, a satellite communications constellation powered by the most advanced optical communications architecture ever attempted: thousands of optically interconnected satellites delivering symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth, providing enterprise and hyperscale customers with resilient, scalable connectivity for critical operations where terrestrial infrastructure cannot reach.
You will own the end-to-end hardware design of the switching subsystem from high-speed Ethernet switch and PHY integration to power architecture, embedded management controllers, and high-speed PCB layout. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who has designed and shipped complex electronic products in fast-moving environments and wants to apply that experience to hardware operating at orbital scale.
Special Mentions:
Relocation assistance is available for qualified candidates.
Travel: Up to 25%.
Responsibilities:
Embedded Management & Microprocessor Architecture
Architect BMC subsystems using MPSoC, ARM, or RISC-V microprocessors to monitor line card health, thermal sensors, and voltage rails.
Design and integrate low-level communication buses (I2C, SPI, PMBus, SMBus, RS-485, CAN) for hardware telemetry and sequencing control.
Develop hardware watchdog circuits and redundant boot sequences for fault recovery. Enable in-flight firmware reprogrammability via ground link, including secure update and rollback mechanisms.
Power Distribution & Regulation
Architect high-reliability power distribution with autonomous sequencing, redundant paths (e.g., ORing controllers), and fault isolation to eliminate single points of failure.
Specify and integrate radiation-hardened or radiation-tolerant components rated for SEE and TID in the target orbital environment.
Design power stages for thermal-vacuum operation, emphasizing high-efficiency topologies and conduction/radiation thermal transfer.
Architect low-noise power trees using high-PSRR LDOs and multi-stage LC filtering to protect sensitive analog and high-speed digital lanes.
Signal & Power Integrity
Lead SPICE-based transient analysis and hardware validation of load step responses, switching transients, and voltage ripple to millivolt-level tolerances.
Develop EMI/EMC mitigation strategies — grounding architecture, decoupling optimization, power/signal plane isolation — to prevent crosstalk between power distribution and high-speed data paths.
Hardware Design, Integration & Test
Lead multi-layer PCB design for switch line cards: stackup definition, impedance-controlled routing, thermal management, and DFM.
Manage CCA BOM procurement, vendor coordination, and assembly oversight.
Integrate BSPs, SDKs, and device drivers for Ethernet switching and network processor components in collaboration with firmware and software teams.
Architect and bring up high-performance Ethernet switching systems, including NPU/switch ASIC integration, PHY and SerDes tuning, VLAN configuration, and MAC-level validation across high-density line cards.
Resolve complex hardware-software interface issues across L1 and L2, including physical layer bring-up, transceiver integration, and MAC-level debugging.
Lead factory acceptance testing, physical layer validation (optical transceivers, high-density copper), and commissioning of switch hardware.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in hardware design, power electronics, or embedded systems in a product development environment.
Track record of designing and shipping complex electronic products through development into production.
Experience designing multi-layer PCBs with high-speed digital interfaces and mixed-signal power distribution; proficiency in Altium, Cadence, or equivalent.
Hands-on experience designing and integrating high-speed Ethernet switch hardware, including network processors (NPUs), SerDes interfaces, and optical or copper PHY technologies.
Strong knowledge of power supply design (DC-DC converters, LDOs, sequencing, transient analysis) with hands-on SPICE simulation experience.
Experience with embedded microprocessor design (ARM, RISC-V, or similar) including BSP integration and peripheral bus bring-up (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN).
Practical EMI/EMC mitigation and signal/power integrity analysis experience.
Excellent technical documentation and communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
Why Blue Origin
At Blue Origin, we are driven by Gradatim Ferociter — "Step by Step, Ferociously." As a Principal Hardware Engineer on the Network Switch Platform, you will design the foundational hardware connecting an orbital constellation at unprecedented scale, alongside world-class engineers solving problems at the intersection of high-performance networking and spaceflight.
Compensation Range for:
CA applicants is $183,193.00 - $256,469.85
WA applicants is $183,193.00 - $256,469.85Other 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 (CDL drivers only), 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
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.
Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
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.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified 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. 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, sex, 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, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.
Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation
Applicants 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 [email protected]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.