Mission Operations Engineer II – Blue Ring

Blue Origin • Reston, VA

5d • Hybrid

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 supports Blue National Security, which is pioneering the development, manufacturing, and operation of Blue Ring— a groundbreaking space-mobility platform that unlocks unparalleled access to any orbit and the freedom to maneuver between orbits at will. With Blue Ring, our customers are empowered to go anywhere in cislunar or Earth orbit domains, redefine mission flexibility, and pursue bold new concepts that were once beyond reach. If you’re energized by the idea of working with a platform capable enabling missions without compromise, this is your moment to make history with us. As a Mission Operations Engineer, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams spanning both space and ground segments to ensure the readiness and flawless execution of on-orbit flight operations for Blue Ring spacecraft. You’ll play a key role in developing operational concepts, producing critical operations products, and providing on-console support during early on-orbit mission phases. Your expertise and initiative will directly enable Blue Origin to deliver and sustain next-generation space capabilities for a variety of customers. The ideal candidate is a systems thinker with a relentless end-user and customer focus, deep attention to detail, and the drive to build Blue Ring’s mission operations from the ground up. 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

• B.S. in Aerospace, Computer Science, Electrical, Systems, or related fields
• 3+ years of proven experience in spacecraft operations development and execution, including real-time support for on-orbit operations.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment
• Expertise in one or more of the following areas: Spacecraft operations product development and execution, Real-time support for on-orbit operations, Hosted or separable payload operations, Mission planning, timeline development, and analysis, Spacecraft telemetry trending and analysis, Ground system and software architecture, Space-to-ground communications, Operations automation and application of AI/ML to ops workflows
• Ability to earn trust, build positive professional relationships, contribute to a culture of inclusion, and collaborate with individuals of various backgrounds to achieve mission success.
• 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

• Active TS/SCI Security Clearance
• M.S. in Space Systems, Computer Science, or Aerospace Engineering
• On-console experience as a Spacecraft Controller
• Direct support for a commercial or government spacecraft operations organization, as well as a deep understanding of their use cases and approach to operations.
• Experience with multi-manifest spacecraft missions and developing operations for hosted or separable payloads.
• Proficiency with Python and/or command-and-control scripting languages.
• Experience working with virtualized Ground Software (e.g., Command & Control, Mission Planning, Flight Dynamics, Electronic Procedures, Software Simulators)
• Experience with mission planning and contact planning tools.
• Experience with scrum methodology and agile product development.
• Experience in full development lifecycle of space systems’ ground segments.
• Mission analysis, flight planning and timeline development (tool and analysis)
• Experience designing and evaluating operational readiness tests integrated with hardware-in-the-loop, and software-in-the-loop simulators.
• Experience with operational fault and anomaly management.
• Experience with performing system safety analyses including Functional Hazard Assessments (FHA), Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analyses (FMECA), and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)

Responsibilities

• Contribute to mission planning, operations concepts, tools, and processes that enable highly effective and labor-efficient real-time spacecraft and ground system operation.
• Work in multidisciplinary teams to develop detailed operations procedures, executables, telemetry displays, technical documentation, and other products.
• Drive operations toward ever-increasing levels of efficiency and reliability through ground system automation and the application of AI/ML technologies.
• Ensure deliverables meet applicable quality standards, while promoting maximum reuse and backward compatibility.
• Conduct testing and validation of ops products using a variety of hardware and software simulation environments that span the space and ground domains.
• Support systems engineering and other disciplines in developing a spacecraft concept of operations, ensuring efficiency and operability for the end-user.
• Create detailed test procedures to validate end-to-end system capabilities.
• Analyze and assess ground station selection for optimal communications availability.
• Support communications spectrum licensing efforts through coordination with internal and external regulatory authorities.
• Support mission readiness activities including mission rehearsals, mission timeline development, and post-launch test development.
• Provide on-console support during spacecraft launch and early orbit phase, including shift work, from Blue Origin’s mission control facilities.
• Monitor spacecraft state-of-health across all subsystems, perform trending and analyses, and track spacecraft and ground system configurations.
• Support the troubleshooting and resolution of on-orbit anomalies as part of an anomaly response team.
• Foster continuous improvement by contributing, tracking, and implementing lessons-learned for the benefit of future missions.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level