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.
Chief Engineer - ML, Physical AI, & Autonomy
Location: Kent, WA (preferred) | Denver, CO | Florida | Huntsville, AL | Texas | California | Remote consideration
Security Clearance: Ability to obtain a DoD U.S. Secret clearance. U.S. citizenship required.
About the Role
Blue Origin is building a world-class Machine Learning, Physical AI, and autonomy organization to power our next generation of space vehicles, lunar systems, and robotic platforms. Our vision of millions of people living and working in space will require advanced robotics and Physical AI of all kinds. To this end we are seeking a senior ML / Autonomy / Physical AI technical leader to anchor this capability — architecting and training the models that will enable autonomous operations on the lunar surface and across our space systems. We look to fly these capabilities into space and to the lunar surface on upcoming missions.
This is a Technical leader role for our ML, autonomy, and Physical AI capability, with the mandate to lead a focused team of 6-8 engineers. You will define the Digital Twin simulation and training pipeline, train and architect models, deploy them onto our platforms and infrastructure, and shape Blue Origin's strategy in this area. You will engage with peers in academia, industry, and government. You will report into senior leadership and have direct visibility with Executive leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
Model Architecture & Training: Lead design and training of ML models for autonomy, perception, decision-making, and control in space applications
Digital Twin & Simulation: Define the simulation and training pipeline needed for the different lunar surface and in-space applications
Platform Integration: Operationalize models — deploy, run, and integrate into Blue Origin systems and infrastructure
Team Building: Recruit, build, and lead a focused team of 6-8 ML/autonomy engineers
Technical Strategy: Define autonomy reference architectures spanning lunar surface operations, in-space servicing, autonomous landing, and orbital robotics
Cross-Functional Integration: Partner with GN&C, avionics, software, and systems engineering to translate research advances into deployable autonomy
Assured Autonomy: Champion V&V, runtime assurance, uncertainty quantification, and safety cases for high-consequence space systems
External Engagement: Represent Blue Origin with customers, partners, and academia
Executive Visibility: Brief Executive leadership on autonomy capability and roadmap
Minimum Qualifications:
M.S. in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Applied Math, or related technical field
12+ years (Level 7) / 10+ years (Level 6) of progressive experience developing autonomy, robotics, or ML systems for real-world deployment
Industry leader in developing AI/ML models and training techniques for physical AI
Demonstrated technical leadership of complex multi-disciplinary efforts
Deep expertise in two or more of the following:
Model architectures and training techniques for Physical AI systems
Computer vision and perception (detection/segmentation, SLAM, visual-inertial odometry, sensor fusion)
Robotic manipulation, grasping, and contact-rich tasks
Modern ML stack (PyTorch / JAX / TensorFlow), training pipelines, and model deployment
Decision-making under uncertainty (RL, MPC, MDP/POMDP, hybrid planning)
GN&C-integrated autonomy (rendezvous & proximity operations, hazard detection & avoidance, terrain-relative navigation, powered descent guidance)
Multi-agent / swarm systems and distributed autonomy
Production-quality coding skills in Python and C/C++
Experience taking concepts from research through integrated demonstration
Excellent technical communication; able to brief executives, customers, and engineers
Preferred Qualifications:
Ph.D. in a relevant technical field
Prior automotive / AV autonomy , aerospace, defense, or safety-critical systems experience
Experience with foundation models / Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models for robotics
Familiarity with V&V for ML/AI in high-consequence applications (formal methods, runtime monitors, uncertainty quantification, SOTIF/ISO 21448)
Experience with simulation frameworks: Isaac Sim, Gazebo / Ignition, MuJoCo, MATLAB/Simulink, custom physics engines
Experience with ROS / ROS2, DDS, or analogous middleware
Experience deploying ML on edge / embedded / radiation-tolerant compute (Orin, Versal, rad-hard SoCs, FPGAs)
Familiarity with lunar surface operations, cislunar logistics, or in-space servicing/assembly/manufacturing
Active U.S. Secret or Top Secret/SCI clearance
Publications in NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ICRA, IROS, RSS, CoRL, AIAA SciTech / GNC, or equivalent
Experience with proposal writing for NASA / DARPA / AFRL / SDA programs
Compensation Range for:
WA applicants is $253,878.00 - $355,429.20
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 (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.
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.
