Principal BSP Embedded Software Engineer - Silicon Systems

Blue Origin
San Diego, United States of America
28 days ago

Role details

Contract type
Temporary contract
Employment type
Full-time (> 32 hours)
Working hours
Regular working hours
Languages
English
Compensation
$ 231K

Job location

Remote
San Diego, United States of America

Tech stack

Domain Controllers
ARM
Biometrics
Booting (BIOS)
UClibc (C Standard Library)
C++
Computer Engineering
Software Debugging
Linux on Embedded Systems
Embedded Software
Emulators
Firmware
Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
FreeRTOS
Hardware Security Module
Joint Test Action (IEEE Standards)
Key Management
Open Source Technology
Real-Time Operating Systems
Reduced Instruction Set Computing
Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
VxWorks
Computer Networking Systems
Serial Peripheral Interface
Application Specific Integrated Circuits
Yocto
Information Technology
Bare Metal
DO-178B
U-Boot
Software Coding

Job description

At Blue Origin, we are building the future of space networking. Project TeraWave is developing next-generation wireless communication systems to support our vision of millions of people living and working in space. As a Principal BSP Embedded Software Engineer, you will be a technical leader responsible for architecting and delivering board support packages for advanced SoC and ASIC platforms that power our space networking systems.

You will drive technical strategy, mentor engineers, and work across hardware and software boundaries to deliver flight-quality embedded software. This role is central to enabling our custom silicon to boot, initialize, and operate reliably in the demanding environment of space.

We are looking for someone who can apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe human spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Responsibilities

  • Architect and own the full BSP software stack including boot ROMs, multi-level bootloaders, chip configuration, and platform initialization for custom SoCs/ASICs
  • Define and drive the security boot architecture including secure boot, chain-of-trust, hardware root-of-trust, and key management strategies
  • Design and implement power management frameworks including dynamic voltage/frequency scaling, power domain control, and low-power state transitions
  • Develop debug and trace infrastructure (CoreSight, JTAG, SWD, ETM) to support silicon bring-up and system-level debugging
  • Lead silicon bring-up activities on emulation platforms (Palladium, Zebu, Veloce), FPGA prototypes (Protium, ProFPGA, HAPS), and first silicon
  • Define HAL and driver architecture for peripheral interfaces (SPI, UART, I2C, GPIO, DMA)
  • Collaborate closely with ASIC teams to influence SoC architecture decisions and provide firmware requirements.
  • Establish coding standards, review processes, and verification strategies for embedded software
  • Mentor senior and junior engineers; drive technical roadmap decisions
  • Support pre-silicon validation using emulation and RTL simulation environments, 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

Requirements

  • B.S. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
  • 12+ years of experience in BSP/firmware development for SoCs or custom ASICs
  • Deep expertise in boot ROM development, multi-stage bootloader design, and chip configuration
  • Extensive experience with secure boot, cryptographic acceleration, and hardware security modules
  • Expert-level proficiency in C and C++
  • Proven experience with bare metal, RTOS (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, VxWorks), and/or embedded Linux (Yocto, Buildroot)
  • Experience with pre-silicon environments: emulation (Palladium, Zebu, Veloce) and FPGA prototyping (Protium, ProFPGA, HAPS)
  • Strong understanding of ARM/RISC-V processor architectures and SoC subsystems
  • Track record of leading silicon bring-up from emulation through production silicon
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance

Desired Qualifications

  • M.S. or Ph.D. in relevant field
  • Experience with space-grade or aerospace embedded systems
  • Familiarity with radiation-hardened or radiation-tolerant processor architectures
  • Experience with emulation and RTL co-simulation
  • Knowledge of power management IC (PMIC) integration and system-level power sequencing
  • Experience with DO-178C or equivalent safety-critical software standards
  • Contributions to open-source bootloader projects (U-Boot, TF-A, coreboot)

Benefits & conditions

life insurance, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, 401(k), stock options, remote work United States, Washington, Seattle Jun 13, 2026

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.

This is a foundational role on our TeraWave team. To further Blue Origin's mission of enabling millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are bringing together technology from across our product lines to build the future of space-based communication.

This role will be onsite in Austin , TX, or Bay Area, CA or Kent, WA or San Diego, CA. It is approved for a temporary remote work exception while our sites are developed., * 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.

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