Principal Architect, System Integration & Test

BLUE ORIGIN•Seattle, WA

3d•$230,773 - $323,082

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 connectivity with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This network will service tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations. Blue Origin is building TeraWave, a multi-thousand-satellite communications constellation delivering symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps worldwide. The system is tightly integrated end-to-end -- satellites communicating across RF and optical links with ground terminals and space-based nodes, tied together by a software stack spanning flight, mission operations, network operations, and payload systems. Validating that this full system works correctly at every stage from early development through high-rate factory acceptance is one of the most consequential challenges in the program. As a Principal Engineer for System-Level Integration & Test, you will design and drive the system-level test program that validates TeraWave's complete hardware and software system working together. Your scope spans development and system qualification testing through to supporting provisioning and system verification at production scales. You will focus on ensuring test coverage across all system interfaces -- between hardware and software domains, across organizational boundaries, and across the RF and optical link layers that define TeraWave's end-to-end architecture. Ground terminal integration and test is a first-class element of this scope. You will work hands-on: building test procedures, designing test facilities, debugging integration issues in the lab, and running tests alongside the team -- not just defining strategy from above. This role sits within the Chief Systems Architecture office and works closely with vehicle, payload, ground, and network teams; including the satellite integration and test team.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent technical field; master's degree preferred
8+ years of experience in system integration and test for spacecraft, satellite, or complex communications systems, with experience across both hardware and software domains
Direct experience with satellite systems and the test venues and infrastructure used to validate RF or optical communications links, including link budget validation, end-to-end signal chain testing, and hardware-in-the-loop environments
Experience defining and executing system-level test programs spanning development, validation, qualification, and acceptance testing phases
Familiarity with CI/CD principles and experience integrating hardware and software validation into automated test pipelines
Sufficient familiarity with network communications standards and protocols to define end-to-end integration test scenarios in collaboration with network engineering teams
Demonstrated ability to work across organizational boundaries, aligning hardware and software teams around shared test standards and interface validation requirements
Strong verbal, written, and graphical communication skills

Nice To Haves

12+ years of experience in system integration and test for satellite or complex communications programs, including experience on LEO constellation programs
Experience with optical communications link testing including free-space optical terminal validation and atmospheric or link emulation approaches
Experience with ground terminal integration and test, including validation of space-to-ground link performance and ground-side hardware and software interfaces
Familiarity with FCC-required radiating test processes and the regulatory compliance context for satellite communications systems
Experience sizing and specifying major test infrastructure including anechoic chambers, thermal test systems, RF signal simulators, and hardware-in-the-loop environments
Familiarity with factory acceptance test design for satellite production at scale, including test automation, data management, and anomaly resolution processes

Responsibilities

Design and maintain the system-level integration and test architecture across the full program lifecycle -- from development and system validation through factory integration -- defining the test strategy, facility designs, and validation approach for each stage
Design progressive integrated test environments that build from isolated link-level testing through to fully integrated configurations incorporating satellites alongside emulations of network and mission operations systems, with scalability and rapid iteration as foundational requirements
Ensure system-level test coverage is complete and unambiguous at hardware-software interfaces and across organizational boundaries, working directly with vehicle, ground, payload, and network integration and test owners
Define and execute end-to-end test scenarios across both RF and optical link domains -- including link performance, fault response, operational mode transitions, and space-to-ground link validation
Drive requirements and specifications for major test infrastructure -- anechoic chambers, thermal vacuum and thermal cycling systems, RF signal simulators, hardware-in-the-loop rigs, and link emulation capabilities -- ensuring the program has the assets needed to meet development and production milestones
Partner with the broader TeraWave team to integrate system-level tests into the program's CI/CD pipelines, enabling continuous automated validation as hardware and software evolve
Define acceptance test requirements and procedures that provide high confidence in system-level performance at production cadence, working with payload, satellite bus, and network teams
Support FCC-required radiating tests in collaboration with the responsible teams across Blue Origin, contributing system-level test perspective to ensure appropriate coverage and regulatory compliance