Senior Flight Software Engineer — C&DH & Fault Management - Project Sunrise – Orbital Data Centers
About The Position
Blue Origin is hiring a Senior Flight Software Engineer for Project Sunrise, a constellation of orbital data centers. The role is part of Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), which supports the company’s mission of enabling millions of people to live and work in space. ACE fosters innovation, future-focused engineering workflows, shared solutions and standards, simplicity, lower costs, and manufacturable design. The engineer will architect and develop foundational satellite flight software, with a focus on a reusable Command & Data Handling (C&DH) framework and autonomous Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) logic. This core software supports spacecraft operations and enables functions such as Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C), Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC), and Optical Intersatellite Links (OISL). The role also includes establishing team standards, validating software reliability, and mentoring junior engineers. Travel may be required up to 10% of the time. Relocation assistance is available. Applicants must meet the stated U.S. citizenship or immigration-status requirements. A background check is required for all positions.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
- At least 5 years of experience in real-time embedded software development for mission-critical systems.
- Strong proficiency in C++ and/or Rust, with a deep understanding of embedded systems and real-time operating systems (RTOS).
- Demonstrated experience designing and developing core software components such as C&DH, FDIR, or operating system primitives.
- Experience with the full software development lifecycle in a regulated environment, such as aerospace, medical, or automotive.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field.
- Experience with large-scale satellite constellations or distributed, fault-tolerant systems.
- Familiarity with spacecraft bus hardware, communication protocols such as CCSDS or SpaceWire, and subsystem interfaces.
- Familiarity with software assurance standards such as NASA-STD-8739.8, NPR 7150.2, ECSS-Q-ST-80C, or DO-178C, and embedded coding standards such as the JPL Institutional Coding Standard, MISRA C/C++, or CERT C/C++.
- Experience developing software for systems with high-power and thermal management requirements.
- Proven ability to work in a fast-paced, clean-sheet design environment.
Responsibilities
- Architect and develop a platform-independent, reusable software framework for flight software across the Sunrise constellation.
- Design, develop, and implement the core Command & Data Handling (C&DH) system for spacecraft command and control.
- Create and implement Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) logic to enable autonomous responses to anomalies without ground intervention.
- Develop software interfaces between the flight computer and major subsystems, including power, thermal, and GNC.
- Establish and champion software development standards and best practices for the flight software team.
- Develop test plans, simulation environments, and validation strategies for core software reliability and robustness.
- Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical excellence and innovation.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Basic and supplemental life insurance.
- Paid parental leave.
- Short- and long-term disability coverage.
- 401(k) with company match of up to 5%.
- Education Support Program.
- Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week.
- Up to four weeks of paid time off 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 based on company policy and discretion.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
