About me.
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Hi, I'm Shawn Victor!
I’m a former Avionics Engineer at Blue Origin, where I contributed to the design and testing of cutting-edge liquid rocket propulsion systems. My passion for engineering started early in my life when I eagerly disassembled my toys—though back then, reassembling them was another story... Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that same curiosity into creating advanced electronics and avionics systems for high-powered rocket engines. As a lifelong tinkerer, I’ve dedicated my career to mastering electronics and avionics, and I love sharing that knowledge with others. Whether I’m working on personal projects or teaching advanced concepts, I find joy in exploring the endless possibilities of technology. Thanks for visiting my site—I hope you find inspiration here! :) |
My Experience
Avionics Engineer- Instrumentation, Controls & GNC III
Straight out of college, I launched my career testing rocket engines in the West Texas desert with Blue Origin. My team and I were responsible for the development and Acceptance Test Program (ATP) testing of the BE-3PM (New Shepard’s main engine) , BE-3U (New Glenn’s second-stage engine), and BE-7 (HLS Lunar Engine).
In my role, I oversaw all instrumentation and control systems on the test stands and test articles, ensuring seamless integration and performance. This position required me to coordinate across multiple disciplines—including hardware, software, networking, fluids, and structural systems—making it a dynamic and deeply rewarding experience.
In my role, I oversaw all instrumentation and control systems on the test stands and test articles, ensuring seamless integration and performance. This position required me to coordinate across multiple disciplines—including hardware, software, networking, fluids, and structural systems—making it a dynamic and deeply rewarding experience.
Electrical Engineering Intern - Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control (MFC)
During the summer of my junior year in undergrad, I interned with Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) Division in Dallas. During this time, I contributed to the electrical testing and integration of Lockheed’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW). My responsibilities included automating the testing of flight wiring harnesses, performing load cycling of battery systems, and drafting test procedures to characterize the vehicle’s power supply.
This opportunity provided invaluable industry experience in the design and testing of critical high-power systems. However, I ultimately decided to transition from the defense sector to the space industry, where I could apply my skillset to advance humanity’s presence in space.
This opportunity provided invaluable industry experience in the design and testing of critical high-power systems. However, I ultimately decided to transition from the defense sector to the space industry, where I could apply my skillset to advance humanity’s presence in space.
President- Longhorn Makerstudio/ Texas Inventionworks
While pursing my undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin the Longhorn Makerstudio is my second home, and throughout my days as a Freshman and Sophomore I was one of the "superusers" of the studio, mastering all the equipment and constantly being able to design personal Projects! And I was fortunate enough to be elected as the President of the Longhorn Makerstudio, to which my jobs is in managing the staff and the agenda of the whole studio. It is though this experience I have learned:
As an Employee:
As an Employee:
- Advanced PCB Design
- Additive Manufacturing Processes: FDM, SLA, SLS
- Subtractive Manufacturing Processes: Laser Cutting, Plasma Cutting, Manual Milling(Lathe and Mill), CNC Milling
- Software: Fusion 360 CAM
- Technical Interviewing Processes
- Large Scale Management of a student Staff Body
- Large Scale Employee Scheduling
Avionics Lead- Texas Rocket Engineering Lab
I served as the first Avionics Lead for UT Austin’s Texas Rocket Engineering Lab (TREL), an interdisciplinary research lab that provides students with industry-level experience in the design, development, and testing of liquid bipropellant rocket systems. At the time, the lab had secured a $1 million sponsorship to compete in the Base 11 Challenge, with the ambitious goal of designing a rocket capable of reaching the Kármán line (100 km, the internationally recognized boundary of space).
In collaboration with Firefly Aerospace, we laid the foundation for the vehicle architecture. As Avionics Lead and Principal Engineer, I led a team of multidisciplinary engineers in developing the vehicle’s electronics systems to support critical functions of the liquid rocket engine. These included flight hardware (embedded systems, sensors, and control actuators), flight software, RF systems, and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC).
In collaboration with Firefly Aerospace, we laid the foundation for the vehicle architecture. As Avionics Lead and Principal Engineer, I led a team of multidisciplinary engineers in developing the vehicle’s electronics systems to support critical functions of the liquid rocket engine. These included flight hardware (embedded systems, sensors, and control actuators), flight software, RF systems, and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC).
Group Picture with the TREL team and the Firefly Aerospace CEO
Electronics Lead- Longhorn Rocketry Association
I served as the Electronics Lead for the Longhorn Rocketry Association between 2018-2020. I designed all the Avionic Systems for our vehicles (flight computers, telemetry boards, attitude control systems) as well as all of our ground systems electronics needed to test our solid and hybrid engines. In addition to these systems, I created the electronics for our Biomedical research payload (Syncope) to measure pressure effects on human blood vessels in high gravitational accelerations. Most of my job involved designing compact PCBs to contain all the electronics needed for engine operation and mid stage deployment of certain modules. Here are the following projects I have been apart of (More details in my projects section):
Space Port America Cup 2018:
Space Port America Cup 2018:
- Biomedical Research Payload ("Syncope")
- Custom Designed Flight Computer MkIV
- Custom Designed Sensor Junction Box to interface all sensors with NI DAQ (Meant for Solid Motor Testing)
- Custom Designed Cold Flow Junction Board to test our Fluid Panel's ability to perform basic necessities for a Hot Fire
- Custom Designed Hot Fire Junction Board to be able to perform Hybrid Engine Test Fires
- Custom Designed Flight Computer to replace Commercially available Computers and acquire more flight data [WIP]
- Custom Designed Flight Computer MkV to drive hybrid engine operation, and be able to actively control air breaking and engine throttling to achieve desired apogee
Hardware Research Engineer- UT Mobile and Pervasive Computing Group
Conducted Research on methods to physically add data privacy by means other than through Wi-Fi, to which we began work on Li-Fi. Which is a means of transmitting data through visible light unlike Wi-Fi's means of using Radio Frequencies. By encoding the binary ones and zeros of data into on and off states of a light bulb, we could then switch the bulbs on and off at non-visible flickering frequencies. This way the bulb would act just as if it were a normal light bulb, but also function as a "Li-Fi Transmitter". On the receiver end we utilized photo-diodes to receive these high frequency signals to which a micro controller could decode the signal back into proper file format.
Projects:
Conducted Research on methods to physically add data privacy by means other than through Wi-Fi, to which we began work on Li-Fi. Which is a means of transmitting data through visible light unlike Wi-Fi's means of using Radio Frequencies. By encoding the binary ones and zeros of data into on and off states of a light bulb, we could then switch the bulbs on and off at non-visible flickering frequencies. This way the bulb would act just as if it were a normal light bulb, but also function as a "Li-Fi Transmitter". On the receiver end we utilized photo-diodes to receive these high frequency signals to which a micro controller could decode the signal back into proper file format.
Projects:
- See Projects Page "Li-Fi Transmitter & Receiver"
Hardware Research Engineer- Professor Mark McDermott
Developed an open source mechatronics development platform for novice engineers to learn the fundamentals of microcontroller interfacing. The designed platform utilizes the ATMega2560 broken out to support all types of interfacing, esp with Motors and sensors found on most robots. This platform will soon to used to teach a semester long course to build out training exercises on these boards.
Projects:
- See Projects Page "Mechatronics Research Board"
Dashboard Subsystem Lead - UT Solar Vehicle Team
Responsible for designing the electronics system of the dashboard of the vehicle. Utilized the ATmega328p with a Seeduino CAN bus module to receive CAN data from the rest of the car and display information such as the speed, charge of the battery pack, temperature of the pack, ect. The dashboard also provided the driver with multiple inputs such as push to talk radio interface, assorted front lights/ warning lights, ignition state, and more. Worked as a sub project on the long range telemetry system of the car, utilizing XBEE modules to transmit the key data of the car for post processing my another microcontroller and displayed onto the internet.