Principal Software Engineer – TeraWave Vehicle Platforms (Infrastructure)

BLUE ORIGIN • Spokane, WA

1d

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! - We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join our Vehicle Platforms team for our revolutionary TeraWave satellite communications network. This role will be instrumental in designing and building the foundational platform infrastructure—the "nervous system"—that runs across our entire fleet of Satellites, User Terminals, and Gateways, ensuring reliable, secure, and performant operations in the most demanding environments imaginable. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in Linux-based embedded systems, full-lifecycle software ownership, and the drive to operate with high autonomy in a fast-paced environment where foundational engineering meets mission-critical execution.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related STEM field; or 10+ years of professional software development experience
• 8+ years of experience with C or C++ in a Linux or embedded environment
• Deep proficiency with the Linux kernel, including driver development, memory management, and system-level debugging tools such as GDB, perf, and eBPF
• Experience with build systems such as Buildroot, Yocto, or Bazel

Nice To Haves

• Proven experience building infrastructure for large-scale distributed systems or device fleets
• Proficiency in Rust or Python for systems-level tooling and automation
• Strong understanding of the Linux networking stack (TCP/IP, UDP, Ethernet) and custom routing protocols
• Experience developing software for mission-critical systems in aerospace, automotive, or medical industries where failure is not an option
• First-principles engineering mindset with comfort analyzing assembly code or hardware-level diagnostics when solving complex problems

Responsibilities

• Design and implement core Linux-based platform infrastructure, including process management, custom init systems, and robust IPC frameworks
• Lead the architecture for global image management and Over-the-Air (OTA) update systems, ensuring a multi-thousand-vehicle fleet can be updated safely, frequently, and with zero downtime
• Build high-throughput, low-overhead logging and telemetry pipelines capable of reporting health and performance metrics from edge devices to ground-based data centers
• Partner closely with Silicon, Electrical, and RF Engineering teams to bring up new hardware prototypes and optimize the Linux kernel and drivers for custom SoC designs
• Debug and optimize system-level performance bottlenecks, including minimizing context switches and tuning the networking stack for high-frequency satellite links
• Implement secure boot flows, runtime security monitoring, and hardware-backed credential management for all vehicle components
• Own the full software lifecycle from initial design through deployment on satellites operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

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.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

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