Senior Space Segment Software 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 team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! 

This role is part of Blue National Security (BNS), where our focus is the design, development, and delivery of launch and spacecraft systems for national security missions. Through Blue Ring, our all-in-one, high-powered hybrid solar-electric and chemical-propelled spacecraft, we provide unmatched mission maneuverability, versatility, and capacity at dramatically lower-profile costs.

As part of a hardworking team of engineers, you will ensure our spacecraft satisfies the needs of our critical partners, and crafts the larger vehicle data architectures to enable us to successfully implement the required capabilities for our mission. As a Software Systems Engineer on the Spacecraft Systems Engineering team, you will provide the technical glue connecting data from our flight software to the systems functions to our ground operations and test engineering. You will help ensure the program requirements, operational descriptions, and system designs have been shaped so that the overall system meets our customers’ needs.

You will be responsible for ensuring efficient integration of flight software into test environments, and with the spacecraft, which includes spacecraft bus software systems, and software products across the entire life cycle (such as architecture definition, requirements formulation, software development plans and processes, and verification processes).

To accomplish this, you will work closely with our spacecraft development engineers, flight software developers, spaceflight operations organization, test engineering, and ground system engineers.

This role will encompass developing standards and processes and ensuring adherence to them.  This position demands a systems thinking approach, requiring a comprehensive understanding of the architectural and design elements of interconnected systems, and how they will be tested and verified.

Special Mentions [Edit or remove as needed]

• Relocation provided
• Travel expected up to 15% of the time
• Active clearance is highly desired but not required. (TS/SCI with CI poly or upgradable to it)

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Support the Flight Software and other subsystem teams in defining system level software requirements and allocations to define the software implementation approach for the spacecraft.
• Coordinate overall software architecture strategy and implementation approach.
• Create guidelines and procedures defining software development, implementation, and verification strategies.
• Oversee software development resources and allocations, as well as the creation and maintenance of software-related interface control documents (ICDs).
• Conduct software life cycle reviews, including code walkthroughs, requirements reviews, test readiness and results reviews and acceptance test reviews.
• Review and approve required software management plans (software development, test, maintenance, configuration management and fault management).
• Oversee flight software-related verification and spacecraft integration test activities.
• Provided mentoring and direct technical assistance to engineering teams, covering development, testing and systems engineering of flight software, commands, telemetry and conops.
• Coordinate with users (internal, payload, or other) to ensure the software interfaces are adequate and agreed to.
• Assist in the development of software requirements, ensuring they are understandable, valid, traceable, and verifiable.
• Provide technical mentoring for junior engineers across Blue Ring.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Computer Science, Aerospace engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent technical field.
• Demonstrated understanding of systems engineering fundamentals and experience in multiple system lifecycle phases.
• 10+ years of related experience in the design, development, and test of aerospace systems, preferably spacecraft.
• Familiarity with spacecraft operations, command & control, and/or spacecraft communications.
• Experience developing or testing flight software.
• Experience developing an integrated system with depth in one or more spacecraft subsystems, and/or system design and integration.
• Familiarity with spacecraft flight software design and architecture (e.g. cFS, F Prime, etc.).
• Understanding of embedded software development concepts, including hardware integration, message buses, scheduling, and network communication.
• Domain experience with spacecraft systems and subsystem functions, interfaces, and communication protocols (i.e. serial, 1553, Ethernet, embedded software, etc.).
• Experience with CCSDS standards, including command and telemetry formats.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• 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

• M.S. degree in a relevant technical field.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance with CI poly
• Demonstrated experience debugging and identifying root cause at the hardware/software boundary.
• Experience defining and performing complex trade studies.
• Experience using hardware and software testbeds and lab environments for software and system verification.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and modern software development practices.
• Jira, gitlab, CI/CD pipelines.
• Familiarity with, or experience in, Model-Based Systems Engineering, such as System Models and/or System Architecture diagrams.

Base Pay Range for:

CO applicants is $133,500.00 - $186,898.95

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.