Flight Dynamics & Conjunction Assessment Software Engineer III - Project Sunrise – Orbital Data Centers

BLUE ORIGIN•Hutto, TX

2d•$150,931 - $230,513

About The Position

This role is part of Blue Origin’s Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE) team and supports Project Sunrise, a constellation of orbital data centers. The engineer will build software that supports the safety and orbital precision of the constellation by predicting satellite trajectories, assessing collision risks with other objects in orbit, and generating maneuvers to maintain a safe, stable fleet. The role involves developing scalable flight dynamics and conjunction assessment software, including orbit determination and prediction, collision-event management, maneuver planning and optimization, and simulations. The engineer will also create data pipelines for external space data and collaborate with GNC and ground software teams to integrate maneuver plans into operational workflows. Responsibilities span algorithm development and prototyping through operational deployment and support. Travel may be required up to 10% of the time. Relocation assistance is available. Applicants must meet the stated U.S. citizenship or immigration-status requirement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field.
At least 3 years of professional experience developing software for astrodynamics, flight dynamics, or a related domain.
Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, state estimation, and trajectory modeling.
Proficiency in a scientific or numerical computing language such as Python, C++, or MATLAB.
Experience with data processing and analysis.
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.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field.
Direct experience developing or operating a conjunction assessment system.
Deep knowledge of orbit determination techniques and associated statistical methods.
Experience with space situational awareness (SSA) data and tools, such as STK or GMAT.
Familiarity with cloud computing environments such as AWS or GCP for large-scale data processing and simulation.
Familiarity with conjunction and orbit data standards and orbital safety requirements, including CCSDS 508.0 (CDM), CCSDS 502.0 (ODM), NASA-STD-8719.14, the U.S. Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices, and FCC 47 CFR Part 25.
Passion for building automated, reliable systems to solve complex and critical problems.

Responsibilities

Design and develop software for high-precision orbit determination and prediction for a large-scale satellite constellation.
Build and maintain an automated conjunction assessment system to screen for, track, and manage potential collision events.
Implement and verify algorithms for maneuver planning and optimization for collision avoidance and station-keeping.
Develop high-fidelity simulations to validate flight dynamics and conjunction assessment software.
Create data pipelines to ingest and process external data sources, including public satellite catalogs and space situational awareness feeds.
Collaborate with GNC and ground software teams to integrate maneuver plans into operational workflows.
Contribute to the full lifecycle of flight dynamics software, from algorithm development and prototyping to operational deployment and support.

Benefits

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Basic and supplemental life insurance
Paid parental leave
Short- and long-term disability
401(k) with company match of up to 5%
Education Support Program
Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week
Up to four weeks of paid time off per year based on weekly scheduled hours
Up to 14 company-paid holidays
Potential eligibility for benefits and bonuses depending on role type and job level