SLD Senior Ground Software Engineer, Mission Planning - Lunar Permanence

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.  

This role is part of the Lunar Transportation business unit, which develops Blue Origin’s multiple Blue Moon lander product lines. To further Blue Origin's mission of having millions of people living and working in space, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface. 

As a Ground Software Engineer supporting Mission Planning in Blue Origin's Lunar Permanence program, you will help build, test and integrate the software required for the Lunar Permanence Mission Operations Centers used to fly lunar space vehicles. You will work closely with space vehicle and ground subsystem teams. You will be responsible for developing, testing, and deploying software that will enable Earth-based operators to perform mission-critical functions supporting Blue Origin operations, including flight/ground system integration and testing, mission activity planning, telemetry data processing and display, spacecraft system/health monitoring and fault detection, electronic procedures and command sequencing, and operations training.

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

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, test, verify, and deploy mission operations safety-critical software systems, ensuring the success of the overall Ground System supporting space flight operations.
• Perform trade studies to resolve whether to develop software tools in-house, subcontract work to develop tools, or adapt or purchase existing software to perform a particular function.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including engineers representing space vehicle systems, mission-control infrastructure, operations fields, and customers to define software requirements, architectures, and designs.
• Develop rapid prototypes to prove out concepts and quantify technical risks.
• Coordinate with mission control infrastructure and mission system engineers to plan, develop, and lead system verification and qualification, to ensure software products meet system requirements and safety-critical standards.
• Produce and contribute to documentation for software architecture, design, verification plans, user manuals, and training material.
• Follow software development processes that meet Blue Origin and customer-required standards to ensure software safety and reliability.
• Support frequent update cycles in support of pre-flight testing, mission validation exercises, and events related to operations training.
• Support mission control software operations responsibilities (maintenance, flaw correction, improvements) during operator training, ground data system verification, validation, and certification, spacecraft integration, and flight.
• Integrate software components, build and run unit-level, and system-level tests, validate using Software-in-the-Loop and Hardware-in-the-Loop simulators, and release certified code.

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.S. or higher degree in Software or Engineering related field.
• 8+ years of software development experience.
• Proven software development using:
• Python
• FastAPI
• React/Typescript
• Docker
• PostgreSQL
• Pytest
• Selenium
• Vite

• Experience in full lifecycle software engineering. Including: system design, requirements gathering, software implementation and verification, system integration, and release.
• Confirmed skills in software build automation, continuous integration, configuration management, verification, and deployment.
• Familiarity with Linux environment and basic Unix system administration activities.
• Passion for spaceflight and space exploration.
• 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.
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion 

Desired:

• 5+ years of proven ability in developing software supporting systems in critical applications (e.g. aviation, spaceflight, nuclear power, business-critical web services, etc.)
• Experience delivering a Mission Planning system for aircraft/spacecraft
• Proven software development using:
• Rust
• C++17 or later
• Kubernetes
• Grafana
• Message Brokers (e.g. MQTT, RabbitMQ)
• AWS
• Timeseries databases (e.g. InfluxDB, Prometheus)

• Experience crafting and developing software for aerospace operations.
• On-console operations experience in space-flight operations, or in other safety-critical operations.
• Familiar with infrastructure-as-code, services-as-code, and cloud technologies.
• Understanding of space-based communications protocols, such as CCSDS.
• Compliance experience with safety-critical standards, such as DO-178 or NPR 7150.2D.
• Experience with fault-tolerant software design, human error assessment, and human error prevention and fault tolerance.
• Experience with spacecraft subsystems and associated software.

Compensation Range for:

CO applicants is $163,272.00-$228,579.75;WA applicants is $177,567.00-$248,593.80

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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