SENIOR PRINCIPAL ENGINEER - OPTICAL SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE - TeraWave

BLUE ORIGIN • Los Angeles, CA

9d

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! - The Emerging Systems business unit at 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 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and 128 satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide. Blue Origin's Emerging Systems is seeking an exceptional Senior Principal Engineer to lead the systems architecture for optical and opto-mechanical systems for the TeraWave constellation. In this role, you will provide technical leadership in pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) systems, link budget development, and ground and on-orbit calibration methodologies.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Optical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field
• 15+ years of experience in optical systems engineering or related fields
• Demonstrated expertise in optical communications system architecture
• Experience with pointing, acquisition, and tracking systems for space applications
• Strong background in link budget development and analysis
• Experience with optical system modeling and simulation
• Knowledge of on-orbit calibration techniques

Nice To Haves

• Experience with optical inter-satellite links or free-space optical communications
• Background in telescope design and optical system optimization
• Knowledge of star tracker systems and spacecraft attitude determination
• Experience with environmental testing and qualification of space hardware
• Background in developing end-to-end optical testbeds
• Experience with optical metrology techniques
• Patent portfolio in optical communications or related technologies
• Experience with optical design software such as Zemax or Code V

Responsibilities

• Lead the systems architecture for optical communications in the TeraWave constellation
• Develop and own core system performance models, including link budgets and acquisition algorithms
• Design and implement pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) systems for reliable optical links
• Create on-orbit calibration methodologies to ensure optimal system performance
• Lead technical trade studies for optical architectures, balancing performance, manufacturability, and cost
• Optical telescope and gimbal system design
• End-to-end testbed development for optical communications
• Next-generation initiatives beyond the baseline constellation architecture
• Cross-functional collaboration with GNC and vehicle teams

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.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree