Principal Architect, Space Safety and Sustainability

BLUE ORIGIN • Cupertino, CA

4d • $169,624 - $237,473

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! Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide. As a member of the TeraWave Chief Systems Architecture office, you will hold a senior technical leadership role defining the architecture by which TeraWave achieves its space safety and sustainability goals — translating Blue Origin's foundational commitment to preserving the space environment into concrete system designs, engineering standards, and performance requirements that govern the program. TeraWave is a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth, servicing tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations. As a large-scale low Earth orbit constellation, TeraWave carries both the responsibility and the opportunity to set a new industry standard for how commercial operators manage debris mitigation, collision avoidance, and space traffic coordination. This is fundamentally an architecture role. You will define the systems, standards, and technical framework by which TeraWave meets and exceeds its space safety commitments across all operational phases and at full fleet scale. Implementation and detailed design of fleet management and operational systems will be carried out by the relevant teams within the broader TeraWave organization, working iteratively against the architecture you establish. Successful candidates will bring deep expertise in orbital mechanics, space traffic management, and debris analysis alongside the cross-functional judgment to embed space safety requirements into the earliest stages of integrated design — avoiding late-cycle surprises and ensuring our commitments are not only met but exceeded. If you share our passion for leaving space better than we found it, thrive in a dynamic startup environment, excel on integrated cross-functional teams, are experienced and skilled in several relevant areas listed below, continuously seek out opportunities to learn and improve, and do not allow title or job description to limit the depth or breadth of your contributions, then we would love to hear from you.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, astrodynamics, systems engineering, or related technical field.
• Ten or more years of experience in spacecraft systems, orbital mechanics, or space operations.
• Direct experience in two of: space traffic management, collision avoidance, debris analysis, or constellation architecture.
• Experience defining system-level architecture including requirements allocation, interface definition, and performance budgeting across subsystems.
• Experience with orbit propagation, conjunction assessment, and debris modeling using STK, Python, or MATLAB

Nice To Haves

• Master's or PhD in aerospace engineering, astrodynamics, or related field with orbital mechanics or debris focus.
• Twelve or more years of experience spanning orbital mechanics, space traffic management, and LEO constellation programs.
• Familiarity with NASA-STD-8719.14C and the ODMSP, including technical contributions to ODARs or equivalent compliance documentation.
• Knowledge of conjunction data message formats, space surveillance network products, and commercial SSA data sources and services.
• Knowledge of demisability analysis, MMOD shielding, passivization design, re-entry survivability, and ground casualty risk analysis.
• Leadership or management experience with a demonstrated record of driving technical consensus across cross-functional organizations.
• Excellent verbal, written, and graphical communication skills, including presenting technical positions to technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Architect TeraWave space traffic coordination strategy, including orbit selection, inter-operator coordination, and ephemeris data acquisition and processing systems.
• Define end-to-end collision risk mitigation architecture, from automated conjunction data ingestion through spacecraft hardware and operational designs.
• Define functional architecture and interfaces across conjunction assessment, maneuver planning, fleet management, and ground operations, allocating requirements and performance budgets.
• Establish engineering standards, analysis methods, and tools for debris minimization, including demisability, MMOD failure mitigation, and end-of-life passivization.
• Define post-mission disposal approach linking orbit selection, disposal reliability, natural decay timelines, and emerging regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with spacecraft, GNC, propulsion, power, and operations teams to embed space safety requirements early in system design.
• Provide technical foundation for regulatory engagement, including compliance assessments against NASA-STD-8719.14C and the ODMSP.
• Lead technical interchanges with satellite operators and industry forums, and recommend approaches to reducing impacts on astronomical observations.

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.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

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