Mission Design 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 Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

Join Blue Origin as we build infrastructure in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re developing a satellite constellation of orbital data centers, Sunrise, designed to transform how compute infrastructure is deployed and leveraged.

The Mission Design Engineer is responsible for trajectory analysis, orbital mechanics, and mission design for individual spacecraft and the Project Sunrise constellation as a whole. In this role you will develop spacecraft delta V budgets, propellant budgets, and maneuver plans.  You will develop Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) operations sequences, collision avoidance capabilities, and end of life deorbit phase plans. You’ll help refine the overall constellation geometry, including spacecraft spacing and orbital altitudes. You’ll contribute to operating the constellation safely, including collision analysis, orbital debris vulnerability, and reentry planning and safety assessments. You’ll work with the New Glenn launch team to optimally select launch deployment targets, with the spacecraft propulsion team to define necessary propulsion capabilities, and with the mission operations team to analyze orbital geometry in support of communications link analysis.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, or a related discipline.
• Strong fundamentals in orbital mechanics and spacecraft trajectories
• Applied experience with standard mission design tools such as STK, Copernicus, or Monte.
• Understanding of FCC licenses requirements for demise and operation, as well as, the associated tools.
• Strong written and visual communications skills
• Experience programming engineering software/analysis tools such as Matlab and  Python, or similar tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or related field with emphasis on orbital mechanics, mission design, or astrodynamics.
• Experience using generative AI tools to expedite and automate your workflow. 
• Experience with low-thrust trajectory design
• Knowledge of spacecraft attitude determination and control
• Experience working in a fast-paced spacecraft, flexible engineering environment
• Understanding of orbital debris and reentry burnup analysis
• Hands-on experience with spacecraft operations

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to support critical project milestones.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for authorization under U.S. export regulations.

Base Pay Range for:

CO applicants is $119,814.00 - $167,738.55

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.