Director, Software Engineering

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 Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

As a Director, Embedded Software Engineering, you'll lead a highly skilled group responsible for developing platform software and tools for a wide variety of spaceflight systems. You'll drive the strategic direction and technical excellence of our Common Avionics Software Platform while pioneering the integration of Generative AI technologies in embedded software development. Your leadership will enable the design, architecture, and implementation of safety-critical real-time embedded software as part of Blue Origin's Avionics Center of Excellence.

Our work enables all Blue Origin business units to routinely transport people and payloads to orbit and beyond. In this director role, you will shape the future of embedded software engineering while building and mentoring the next generation of avionics software talent.

In this position, you will:

• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team of embedded software engineers developing the Common Avionics Software Platform
• Drive strategic direction for platform software development across embedded avionics systems, including device drivers, middleware, and application software
• Champion innovation in engineering tools and capabilities, particularly in the application of Generative AI to avionics embedded software development
• Collaborate with hardware, systems, and program leadership to define software requirements and ensure interoperability across varied hardware platforms
• Establish architecture decisions and lead design discussions for embedded systems across multiple vehicle programs
• Set engineering standards for performance optimization, scalability, and portability across the software platform
• Oversee testing strategies, debugging methodologies, and software performance analysis across different hardware architectures
• Ensure comprehensive documentation standards, including requirements, design specifications, and API references
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence within the team
• Lead cross-functional integration efforts to deploy avionics platform software across Blue Origin's range of products
• Develop engineering talent through recruitment, mentoring, and career development of senior professionals

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• At least 15 years of experience in low-level and embedded software development
• Minimum 5 years of engineering management experience leading technical teams
• Proven track record managing teams of senior embedded software engineers
• Expert-level proficiency in C/C++ programming and embedded development methodologies
• Deep understanding of real-time concepts, multitasking, synchronization, and inter-process communication in embedded environments
• Extensive experience with hardware abstraction, device drivers, and low-level interfaces
• Skilled in software development for various hardware architectures (such as ARM, x86), including porting and optimization
• Strong background with RTOS or Linux-based embedded environments
• Experience with AI/ML concepts and their application to software engineering workflows
• Exceptional problem-solving abilities and experience leading teams in fast-paced, collaborative environments
• Proven experience with software architecture and design at enterprise scale
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with ability to present to executive leadership

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extens