Software Engineer III – Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies Full-time

Salary range updated, see changes below (effective January 1, 2025).

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 diverse team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

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 diverse team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

We are a diverse team of collaborators, doers, and problem-solvers who are relentlessly committed to a culture of safety. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and will require your commitment and detailed attention towards safe and repeatable space flight. Join us in lowering the cost of access to space and enabling Blue Origin’s vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth.

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

This role is on the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies team (under the Enterprise Technology organization), where we’re creating digital infrastructure needed to build the road to space. Our primary focus in on leverage Artificial Intelligence to advance Blue Origin’s mission. Enterprise Technology is the center of excellence for digital technology at Blue Origin, providing oversight and governance to align technology and business strategies.

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Software Engineer (Backend) to join Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies team. This role requires an individual with a deep understanding of software development, and a broad range of technical capabilities. The ideal candidate will be hands-on and ready to dive in.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead and manage the design and development of robust backend services and APIs, ensuring scalability and performance.
• Develop and implement strategies for integrating complex systems and services into the backend infrastructure.
• Comfortable working with LLMs, agents, and having a good understanding of Python and API frameworks
• Build and maintain the infrastructure required for efficient data storage, retrieval, and processing at scale.
• Set up and manage monitoring systems to ensure the performance, reliability, and scalability of backend services.
• Automate deployment and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to streamline backend updates and releases.
• Work closely with frontend developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to define and implement backend requirements.
• Ensure that backend systems comply with security standards and best practices, addressing data privacy and protection concerns.
• Conduct performance tuning, troubleshooting, and optimization of backend services to improve efficiency and reduce latency.
• Evaluate, select, and integrate appropriate tools and frameworks for backend development and infrastructure.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of backend processes, configurations, and APIs.
• Foster a culture of continual improvement by staying updated with the latest advancements in backend development technologies and best practices.
• Develop and implement incident response plans to address and mitigate issues with backend services promptly.
• Plan and implement strategies for scaling backend services to handle increased demand and larger datasets.
• Advocate for best practices in backend architecture and design, ensuring maintainability and code quality.
• Proactively propose new solutions and enhancements to address backend challenges and improve system performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure backend services support broader business strategies and processes.
• Provide thought leadership on backend development strategies and best practices, shaping the direction of backend engineering within the organization.
• Ensure effective resource allocation and project planning for backend development initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional software development experience focusing on backend development
• Extensive experience with backend development, including proficiency in languages such as Java, Python, and others.
• Advanced understanding of RESTful and GraphQL APIs design and implementation.
• Strong knowledge of database management systems, both SQL (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra).
• Experience with cloud computing platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, and their associated services.
• Familiarity with microservices architecture, containerization (Docker), and orchestration tools (Kubernetes).
• Strong background in network architecture, security protocols, and best practices for securing backend services.
• Experience with automated testing frameworks and test-driven development (TDD) practices.
• Familiarity with CI/CD tools and practices, such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, CircleCI, or similar.
• Experience with large-scale data processing frameworks
• Advanced knowledge of cybersecurity best practices and compliance issues.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated success in optimizing and scaling backend services to handle high traffic and large datasets.
• Certifications related to backend development, cloud computing, or database management.
• Experience mentoring and leading technical teams, fostering professional growth and development.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for clear documentation and cross-team collaboration.
• Ability to innovate and adapt to rapidly changing technologies and environments.
• Proven track record of successfully delivering complex backend projects on time and within budget.

Compensation Range for:
WA applicants is $148,014.00-$207,218.55

Other site ranges may differ

Inclusivity 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 a diverse, inclusive, and 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 (DIBDS) 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, 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.

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.
• Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
• Discretionary bonus: Bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.
• Eligibility for benefits varies by role type, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role.

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, diverse, 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, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. 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, gender, 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 “EEO Is the Law,” 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 EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com.

California Applicant Privacy Notice

If you are a California resident, please reference the CA Applicant Privacy Notice here.