Ground Station Software Engineer III

BLUE ORIGIN•Los Angeles, CA

3d•$164,652 - $230,513

About The Position

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! The role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which is focused on addressing two of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space infrastructure and increasing mobility on-orbit. This role is part of the Blue National Security unit and supports Blue Origin’s Quartz program. Quartz is building out a global network of Blue Origin owned and operated ground infrastructure. Quartz will be used by Blue Origin businesses and external customers providing reliable, flexible, and cost-effective communications services between Earth and space. Our Quartz program is looking for experienced personnel to join their team. We’re a group of problem-solvers with diverse skillsets, building and operating the ground stations that serve as the critical link connecting space to Earth. Working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, you’ll contribute innovative solutions while demonstrating personal leadership, technical competence, and attention to detail. This position will directly impact the history of space exploration and demands your dedicated commitment to safe, reliable spaceflight. We are seeking an experienced Ground Software Engineer to support the development of our mission-critical operational platforms managing our global ground station network. In this role, you will architect and implement solutions that form the vital communications backbone between Earth and space operations. Working closely with cross-functional engineering teams and external customers, you will deliver scalable, secure, and highly reliable solutions that ensure continuous ground station availability for mission-critical spacecraft communications while providing sophisticated planning capabilities that maximize operational efficiency across the entire ground network. Join us in enabling Blue Origin’s vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit earth - passion for our mission is required!

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field
5+ years of professional software development experience
5+ years of experience with Python, C++ or Rust
5+ years of experience working in Linux environments
Experience developing, testing, and maintaining production-quality software.
Experience implementing software automation to reduce test time and automate operational features
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate effectively in cross-functional teams
Demonstrated track record of resourcefulness from their previous assignments.
Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships.
Strong written and communication skills to support end-to-end customer testing for both internal programs and external clients.
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

Proficiency in JavaScript and experience building backend or full-stack applications
5+ years of experience working on ground station or communication system operations
Experience with AWS cloud infrastructure
Experience designing and consuming APIs including RESTful services
Experience using generative AI tools to deliver software products in reduced timeframes vs traditional development methods
Working knowledge of network protocols including TCP and UDP
Ability to work independently and communicate effectively
Familiarity with Ansible (for deployment and configuration management)
Understanding of RF and modulation/demodulation concepts
Understanding of networking concepts such as routing, latency, bandwidth, and reliability
Familiarity with monitoring, logging, and observability tools in production environments
AI experience for State of Health diagnosis in NOC and network orchestration environments
Proven experience implementing and integrating OSS and BSS systems within telecommunications or similar industries.
Hands-on experience working with CRM platforms, preferably Salesforce, including configuration, integration, and process automation.
Strong understanding of customer lifecycle management, front end interfacing, and sales enablement features within CRM tools.
Demonstrated experience integrating systems and workflows across the full mission chain, including mission planning and operations, Monitoring & Control (M&C) systems, ground station scheduling and resource allocation, with a comprehensive understanding of end-to-end data flows between these systems

Responsibilities

Design and develop distributed software systems for ground station network operations and core infrastructure services.
Test and integrate software systems that run on both commercial and in-house developed hardware.
Conduct comprehensive post-mission analytics to evaluate ground network performance metrics, identify optimization opportunities, and generate technical recommendations for system improvements.
Collaborate with external customers to architect secure, high-performance software interfaces for Telemetry, Tracking & Command (TT&C) systems and payload data transfer workflow.
Create APIs and interface documentation for ground station command and control.
Develop interactive web dashboards with real-time visualization capabilities.
Design and implement integration frameworks for third-party ground stations and external customer systems.
Create automated workflow engines for routine operations, anomaly response, and autonomous sequences.
Establish comprehensive monitoring systems with configurable alerts to ensure operational stability and visibility across the network.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including software, networking, and RF/DSP engineers to deliver scalable, secure solutions.