Sr. Manufacturing PCBA Design & SMT Fab DFX Engineer

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 Origin Operations, which is comprised of Integrated Supply Chain, Test Operations, Safety, Quality, and Mission Assurance. This includes Manufacturing and Supply Chain support across all Blue Origin facilities.

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.

As a Senior Manufacturing PCBA Design & SMT Fab DFX Engineer, you will own the end-to-end manufacturing design integration of TeraWave PCBA modules — bridging high-speed PCB layout, SMT fabrication processes, and volume production readiness. As a foundational element of TeraWave operations, hardware must be architected not only for performance but for manufacturability, testability, reliability, and serviceability at constellation scale. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who has designed, fabricated, and shipped complex electronic assemblies in fast-moving, high-volume manufacturing 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 50%.

Responsibilities:

PCBA Design, SMT Fabrication & Manufacturing Integration

• Lead multi-layer PCBA design for switch line cards: stackup definition, impedance-controlled routing, thermal management, and manufacturability-driven layout.
• Own SMT fabrication process development — including panelization, solder paste stencil design, reflow profiles, and component placement optimization — to ensure robust, repeatable assembly.
• Manage CCA BOM procurement, vendor coordination, SMT line qualification, and assembly oversight.
• Drive first-article inspection, process validation, and manufacturing readiness reviews to support production ramp.

Design for Excellence (DFX)

• Drive Design for Excellence (DFX) principles — DFM, DFT, DFA, DFR, and DFS — across the full PCBA and SMT fabrication lifecycle to ensure hardware scales from prototype through volume production for TeraWave operations.
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Optimize PCB stackups, component footprints, land patterns, and SMT assembly processes to maximize yield and minimize cost at constellation-scale production volumes.
• Design for Test (DFT): Architect built-in test structures, boundary scan (JTAG), test points, ICT fixtures, and automated test coverage to enable efficient factory acceptance and in-field diagnostics.
• Design for Assembly (DFA): Simplify component placement, connector selection, and mechanical integration to reduce assembly time, rework, and error rates on the SMT line.
• Design for Reliability (DFR): Apply derating, worst-case circuit analysis, FMEA, solder joint reliability analysis, and reliability prediction to ensure long-duration operation in the orbital environment.
• Design for Serviceability/Supply Chain (DFS): Coordinate with supply chain and manufacturing partners to drive component standardization, second-sourcing strategies, and obsolescence mitigation across the production lifecycle.
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams to define acceptance criteria, drive yield optimization, and support production ramp for sustained TeraWave operations.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in PCBA design, SMT manufacturing, or hardware design in a product development and volume production environment.
• Experience designing multi-layer PCBs with high-speed digital interfaces and mixed-signal power distribution; proficiency in Altium, Cadence, or equivalent.
• Hands-on experience with SMT fabrication processes, including stencil design, reflow, AOI/X-ray inspection, and line bring-up.
• Hands-on experience designing and integrating high-speed Ethernet switch hardware, including network processors (NPUs), SerDes interfaces, and optical or copper PHY technologies.
• Demonstrated application of DFX principles (DFM/DFT/DFA/DFR) in bringing PCBAs from design into volume production.
• Excellent technical documentation and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Electrical, Computer, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• 15+ years of relevant experience.
• IPC certification (e.g., IPC-A-610, IPC-7711/7721) or equivalent SMT/assembly standards expertise.
• Experience with radiation effects on electronics (SEE, TID, displacement damage) and mitigation techniques.
• Experience designing and manufacturing electronics for space, aviation, or other high-reliability thermal-vacuum environments.
• Experience with FPGA or ASIC integration in board management or data-path contexts.
• Background in production hardware including comprehensive DFX practices (DFM/DFT/DFA/DFR), SMT process optimization, supply chain coordination, and yield optimization at scale.
• Hands-on environmental qualification testing (TVAC, vibration, EMI/EMC).

Why Blue Origin

At Blue Origin, we are driven by Gradatim Ferociter — "Step by Step, Ferociously." As a Senior Manufacturing PCBA Design & SMT Fab DFX Engineer, you will design and industrialize the foundational hardware connecting an orbital constellation at unprecedented scale, alongside world-class engineers solving problems at the intersection of high-performance networking, advanced manufacturing, and spaceflight.

Base Pay Range for:

CA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45
WA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45

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

• 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.