Principal Mission Systems Engineer

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!  

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.  

The role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which is focused on development, manufacturing, and operation of satellite systems to address one of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space mobility. As part of a hardworking team of diverse specialists, technicians, and engineers, you provide leadership across organizations, working end-to-end across payload, vehicle, and ground elements to create new and exciting solutions. The Principal Systems Architect is responsible for multi-disciplinary end-to-end system design for solutions leveraging multiple propulsion system types (chemical and electric propulsion), multiple measurement sources (ex. GPS, radiometric), and diverse destination regimes (ex. geostationary and cislunar space), as well as cradle to grave oversight of solution lifecycle. You will be the primary interface to stakeholders for multidisciplinary topics, including coordination of capability roadmaps, development of system level requirements, definition of interfaces between space elements, ground elements, and external systems, and fostering implementation, integration and test activities.

We’re looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality; to join our team and positively impact the future of space. Passion for our mission and vision is required. Successful candidates will have a technical background, be detail driven, and have excellent problem-solving abilities. You should be passionate about delivering extensible, timely solutions while contributing to the development of high-performance teams through meticulous goal-setting, disciplined attention to performance metrics, and continuous process improvement.

If you’re excited by providing near-term value, solving novel problems, learning about interesting topics, and completing challenging activities, please apply!

Special Mentions:

• Relocation provided

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Collaborate with customers, stakeholders, systems engineering, architecture, hardware, and software teams to ensure cross-functional deliverables are identified and tracked
• Design and lead collaborative development of an end-to-end architecture that details how architectural elements are developed, constructed, deployed, and maintained across Space and Ground elements
• Assess system performance against current and future mission scenarios, manage performance and risk for scheduled missions
• Develop mission and system management CONOPs, and ensure design guidance is provided across operations, hardware and software solutions
• Perform detailed trade studies, ensuring mission perspective and analysis is integrated into trade criteria
• Coordinate and provide direction across diverse engineering teams to successful project execution by offering solutions that are imaginative, thorough, predictable, and consistent with organizational objectives
• Establish goals and metrics to identify opportunities to deliver customer solutions to cost, performance, and schedule requirements
• Serve as systems level focal throughout the program lifecycle as systems are developed, championing the conceptual vision and adapting it to reality
• Mentor and train across the program to ensure approach, philosophy, and technology are understood and implemented so they provide required capabilities and value to our customers

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.S. in Aerospace, Software, Electrical, Mechanical, Physics, Systems Engineering, or related technical subject area
• 15+ years of Technical Experience developing advanced space solutions
• Strong background in mission design and analysis in Remote Sensing, Communications, RPO and Dynamic Operations mission areas
• Strong background developing CONOPs, requirements, and interface description documents to flow to element level teams
• Strong Technical Experience in the Communications domain, spanning the complete OSI stack. Including but not limited to communications theory, frequency and bandwidth selection, modulation, encoding, transport protocols and standards (including CCSDS), application protocol and packet definition (file transfer, commanding, telemetry, command assurance), and communications security.
• Strong knowledge of In-Space Orientation and Navigation technologies and applications
• Strong background in development of solutions requiring complex hardware and software architecture design
• Demonstrated experience throughout mission design lifecycle from conceptualization through operational flight
• Experience developing high-level plans for end-to-end integrated system tests occurring throughout a program’s lifecycle
• Outstanding customer relationship skills including the ability to discover the requirements underlying feature requests, recommend alternative technical and business approaches, and lead engineering efforts to meet ambitious timelines with optimal solutions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion 
• 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.

Desired Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Aerospace, Software, Electrical, Mechanical, Physics, Systems Engineering, or related technical subject area
• Multiple spacecraft missions of operational ground navigation support and/or leadership
• Applied expertise in ground-based satellite navigation and statistical orbit determination processes, including radiometric and GPS.
• Experience using the Monte software package
• Experience with electric propulsion satellite missions and/or GPS commercial satellite missions 
• Active TS/SCI clearance

Compensation Range for:

CO applicants is $155,939.00-$218,313.90;WA applicants is $164,682.00-$230,554.80

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 [email protected].

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