Application Software Engineer III — Machine Learning Systems - Project Sunrise – Orbital Data Centers

Application close date:

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!

Join Blue Origin as we build infrastructure in space for the benefit of Earth. We're developing Project Sunrise, a constellation of orbital data centers designed to transform how compute infrastructure is deployed and leveraged at an unprecedented scale.

As an Application Software Engineer focused on Machine Learning (ML) Systems, you will be responsible for ensuring our customers' AI models run with maximum efficiency on our unique orbital platform. What You will specialize in inference optimization, adapting and compiling complex neural networks to run with the highest possible performance within the power, thermal, and compute constraints of space. This is a deep, technical role for a software engineer who is passionate about the low-level details of AI model performance and is excited to work at the intersection of machine learning and aerospace.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Analyze and profile deep learning models to identify performance bottlenecks when running on our on-orbit compute hardware.

• Utilize model optimization and compilation frameworks (e.g., ONNX, TensorRT, TVM) to accelerate inference performance.

• Develop techniques for model quantization, pruning, and other optimizations tailored for a power- and thermally-constrained environment.

• Create and maintain a software toolkit and pipeline for onboarding and optimizing customer AI models.

• Collaborate with our customers to understand their models and ensure they achieve their performance targets on our platform.

• Work closely with the compute platform and flight software teams to understand the hardware capabilities and constraints.

• Stay current with the latest research and industry best practices in efficient deep learning and model optimization.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.

• 3+ years of professional software engineering experience.

• Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++.

• Demonstrated experience with at least one major deep learning framework (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX).

• A solid understanding of deep learning concepts and the architecture of modern neural networks.

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in a relevant field.

• Direct experience with model optimization, quantization, and/or compilation for hardware accelerators (e.g., GPUs, TPUs).

• Familiarity with NVIDIA tools such as TensorRT and Triton Inference Server.

• Experience with performance profiling and analysis of low-level code.

• A passion for squeezing every last bit of performance out of the hardware.

• Knowledge of computer architecture.

Special Mentions:

• Travel may be required up to 10% of the time.

• Relocation assistance available.

Base Pay Range for:

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.