Principal Optical Terminal Comms Software Architect

Blue Origin•Reston, VA

About The Position

Blue Origin’s Blue National Security (BNS) team is building space-based communications infrastructure for national security missions. The Principal Optical Terminal Communications Software Architect will provide technical leadership for software architecture powering Software Defined Radio (SDR) terminals and optical communication systems. The work spans embedded software, communications systems, and space mission engineering, with an emphasis on scalability, reliability, and mission readiness. The role architects, develops, implements, verifies, and integrates software for next-generation SDR terminals and spacecraft platforms. It defines reusable, platform-independent software frameworks and establishes engineering standards and practices. The architect works across systems, hardware, and firmware teams, leads technical reviews and trade studies, supports mission-representative testing, improves software engineering infrastructure, and documents architecture and verification activities. The position also designs secure over-the-air software updates for spacecraft.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
10+ years of experience developing embedded and application software for SDR systems.
Strong proficiency in C/C++ and Python.
Demonstrated technical depth across software design, implementation, and cross-functional integration.
Experience with software lifecycle management, configuration management, CI/CD pipelines, and verification and validation practices for mission-critical systems.
Working knowledge of TCP/IP, UDP, CAN, I2C, SPI, and RS-422/485 communication protocols.
Experience applying secure software development principles and cybersecurity best practices in embedded or mission-critical environments.
Hands-on experience with embedded software testing methodologies.
Active TS/SCI clearance.
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Ability to complete the applicable Blue Origin background check.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
Experience developing software for satellite constellations, distributed space systems, or networked embedded platforms.
Knowledge of satellite communications systems, spacecraft networking, and high-throughput data handling.
Background in fault-tolerant computing, redundancy management, and resilient software architecture design.
Familiarity with communication satellite systems, optical inter-satellite links (OISL), or related networking technologies.
Experience designing secure over-the-air software update mechanisms for embedded or mission-critical systems.
Experience with software build systems, static analysis tools, code quality tooling, or automated verification frameworks for embedded systems.
Familiarity with programming languages in addition to C/C++ and Python.

Responsibilities

Architect, develop, implement, verify, and integrate software for next-generation SDR terminals, emphasizing scalability, reliability, and mission readiness.
Design and develop spacecraft SDR capabilities, including waveform processing, modulation and demodulation, and communication protocols.
Define reusable, platform-independent software frameworks, services, and design patterns that support multiple waveforms, data rates, modulation and coding configurations, and future system growth.
Partner with systems, hardware, and firmware engineers to analyze requirements and translate them into detailed architectural specifications.
Establish software architecture standards, coding guidelines, design patterns, and review practices.
Lead software design reviews, code reviews, and technical trade studies covering performance, fault tolerance, redundancy, scalability, and portability.
Support software integration, verification, and validation in software-in-the-loop (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and other mission-representative test environments.
Build and improve software engineering infrastructure, including build systems, CI/CD pipelines, automated test frameworks, and debugging and diagnostic tools.
Author and maintain software architecture descriptions, interface control documents, verification plans, and test procedures.
Design and implement secure spacecraft over-the-air software update capabilities, including authenticated delivery, validation, rollback, version control, and safe on-orbit deployment.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Basic and supplemental life insurance.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability.
401(k) with company match of up to 5%.
Education Support Program.
Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week.
Paid time off of up to four weeks per year, based on weekly scheduled hours.
Up to 14 company-paid holidays.
Depending on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses tied to individual contributions or company results; amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and may change or be cancelled.