Mission Scientist - Planetary Mission (Space Resources Program)

BLUE ORIGIN•Los Angeles, CA

48d•Onsite

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! 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. We believe that to preserve our planet, humanity must expand beyond our current limits, venturing into space to explore and harness new energy and material resources. In pursuit of this vision, we invite you to join our Space Resources Program, working alongside Blue Alchemist, Blue Origin’s initiative to enable lunar surface power production and building blocks for humanity from local materials. The Space Resources Program encompasses multiple projects; in this role, you will contribute across the portfolio, including the current Blue Alchemist effort and future initiatives. We’re dedicated to developing and demonstrating Prospecting and In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies for the Moon, Mars, and beyond. If our mission resonates with you and you are eager to contribute, you could be the perfect addition to our inclusive, open-minded, and forward-thinking team. In this hands-on leadership role, you will work in a fully in-person capacity primarily at our Los Angeles Space Resources Center of Excellence (SRCE) facility with periodic international travel. You will serve as the central scientific integrator for a lunar mission connecting business development, instrumentation, data pipelines, and geologic modeling into coherent plans and executed missions. You will own the end-to-end science data processing pipeline and geologic assessment models; define science data quality metrics and acceptance criteria; lead generation and acceptance of science products during mission operations; and coordinate compliant public data releases. You will work closely with a small science team, collaborating on systems, instruments, software, and mission operations, and engaging external partners to secure funding and amplify impact. We value self-motivated, hands-on leaders who can find practical solutions to abstract problems. Our teams work in fast-paced cycles of design, analysis, and operations to deliver scalable solutions. We’re looking for someone adaptable, willing to take action, eager to learn, and committed to a highly dedicated and open-minded team of team players working together, all while embracing a culture of safety and quality. Your creativity, innovative spirit, and ability to navigate changing requirements are crucial. Conditions of Employment: Offer and start are contingent upon contract award/funding and required internal approvals. If the contract is not awarded, the role may be paused or canceled. https://www.blueorigin.com/news/blue-origin-luxembourg-partner-on-oasis-1-mission

Requirements

Ph.D. in planetary science, geochemistry, remote sensing, or related discipline.
7+ years of relevant experience in space science, remote sensing, or planetary science.
Demonstrated ownership of science data pipelines for space or remote sensing missions, including definition of quality metrics, acceptance criteria, and configuration control.
Experience developing and validating geologic models, including uncertainty quantification and correlation to calibration and ground truth.
Experience translating science/modeling needs into instrument and data requirements in collaboration with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
Proven record leading proposals and engaging external stakeholders (public agencies, industry, or academic partners).
Experience operating within formal review, verification/validation, and change control environments.
Proficiency with scientific programming and data analysis (e.g., Python; MATLAB or C++ as needed) and version control (e.g., Git).
Strong collaboration skills in fast-paced environments; ability to coordinate cross-functional teams (science, instruments, software, systems, mission operations).

Nice To Haves

10+ years of relevant experience.
Experience integrating multi-instrument remote sensing datasets for geologic mapping.
Demonstrated leadership of scientists/analysts with delivery to program milestones; mentorship and team leadership.
Experience defining science operations concepts and aligning pipeline operations with mission timelines and stakeholder needs.
Proficiency in model validation and uncertainty methods (e.g., statistical inference, Monte Carlo), geostatistics, and correlation with lab/field data; proficiency producing mapping products and prioritized targets.
Experience with instrument feasibility trades, calibration planning, interface documentation, hardware-in-the-loop or field testing, and end-to-end science verification.
Track record of successful proposals, partnerships, and peer-reviewed publications; experience coordinating public data releases and operating within data governance/export control frameworks.
Effective communicator with experience presenting at major reviews to technical and executive audiences.

Responsibilities

Define the scientific roadmap across near-term and future phases; align concepts of operations, instrumentation needs, data products, and resource models with mission and business objectives.
Deliver a documented science plan and roadmap, including review artifacts and action closures.
Specify the science product suite from raw to higher-level processed products; establish acceptance criteria, quality metrics, and traceability.
Deliver a product definition and quality plan, configuration-controlled documentation, and review records.
Architect, implement, verify, and operate the end-to-end pipeline from instrument data ingestion through processed data products and models.
Deliver configuration-managed software releases with test coverage, verification artifacts, reproducibility packages, and user documentation; maintain change-control and audit readiness.
Develop and validate geologic models with clear assumptions, uncertainty quantification, and calibration traceability.
Deliver technical reports, configuration-managed modeling code, data products, and prioritized target lists to support mission and campaign planning.
Collaborate with instrument teams on calibration strategies and verification activities; integrate calibration data into operational processing.
Deliver a calibration integration plan and records linking calibration datasets to processing parameters and product acceptance.
Lead operational production of science products from downlink to delivery; manage quick-turn outputs, anomaly investigations, reprocessing, and final closeout.
Deliver periodic science status updates and a final operations closeout package covering data, models, and acceptance evidence.
Lead science content at major reviews and readiness gates; prepare artifacts, respond to actions, and maintain records per program standards.
Deliver an integrated science schedule and milestones, maintain configuration-managed archives, and align with data governance and cybersecurity requirements.
Coordinate compliant public data releases (acceptance records, documentation, screening) with internal stakeholders and international partners.
Deliver release packages to designated repositories; co-author publications; lead or co-lead proposals and partnership engagements with agencies, industry, and academia.
Direct and mentor science staff; drive cross-functional coordination with software, instruments, systems, and mission operations.
Deliver team operating rhythms, interface agreements, and stakeholder engagement plans that support milestone execution.

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.
Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

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