Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer I

About the Role

Blue Origin is seeking an Early Career Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer for 2026 starts. Multiple positions are available across Business Units and will be matched based on skillset, experience, and business needs.

Primary Locations: Kent, WA; Denver, CO; Reston, VA. Please indicate your location preference in the application.

Key Responsibilities

• Projects may include guidance, navigation, controls, autonomy, avionics, simulation, mission design, trajectory optimization, system test, aero sciences, and systems engineering.
• Design, analyze, develop, and verify guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) software for spaceflight systems.
• Enhance existing human-rated GN&C software for improved reliability, capabilities, and reduced operating cost.
• Perform system analyses, including simulations and Monte-Carlo, to satisfy specifications and requirements, and to drive system-level architectural decisions.
• Specific duties are subject to business unit objectives.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in physics, aerospace engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or other relevant engineering field.
• Degree earned within the last year, with ability to start by Fall 2026.
• Demonstrated knowledge in designing and testing control systems for aerospace vehicles or mechanical and fluidic subsystems.
• Fundamental understanding of dynamics, orbital mechanics, estimation, and control theory.
• Practical experience in guidance, navigation, and controls algorithm development and analysis for aerospace or mobile robotic applications.
• Strong software and model development skills, particularly in MATLAB/Simulink, and C/C++.
• Relevant internship/co-op and/or hands-on experience demonstrating technical skills and leadership qualities.
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and strengthen a culture of inclusion.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team on rapid development programs.
• Flexible and adaptable mindset.
• Self-driven with the ability to seek out requirements with minimal direction.

Desired Skills & Experience

• M.S. degree or PhD in physics, aerospace engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or another relevant STEM field.
• Knowledge of multi-body dynamics, flexible body dynamics, gas and fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics.
• Experience with modeling electro-mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical subsystems.
• Experience anchoring/fitting first principles models to test data or high-fidelity external simulations using system identification or other numerical methods.
• Experience developing and verifying physical models for control design, component sizing, and system performance evaluation.
• Experience with Spacecraft Systems Engineering.
• Experience with Monte Carlo simulation testing.
• Experience supporting flight testing or launch operations.
• Experience supporting component level testing and/or flight testing.
• Ability to continuously manage risk and become comfortable with lean software development techniques.
• Proven system engineering and configuration management skills.
• Experience with Python and Linux environments.
• Experience with Verification and Validation.

Additional Information

• Experience in aerospace is not a requirement. Broad academic and industry experiences are valued.
• U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
• Background Check required.

Benefits

• 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%.
• Education Support Program.
• Stock Options for eligible employees.
• Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year.
• Up to 14 company-paid holidays.
• Potential for additional benefits and bonuses based on role type, job level, individual contributions, and company results. Eligibility is not guaranteed and is subject to change.

Location-Specific Pay Ranges

• VA: $87,816.00 - $122,942.40
• CO: $80,499.00 - $112,697.55
• WA: $87,816.00 - $122,942.40