Senior Spacecraft Solar Array Engineer- TeraWave

BLUE ORIGIN•Los Angeles, CA

1d•$144,179 - $219,522

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 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 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide. This role sits within the TeraWave Spacecraft Bus team. We are seeking a Senior Spacecraft Solar Array Engineer to serve as the Responsible Engineer (RE) for the solar array — the primary power generation system for the vehicle. You will own the full product lifecycle from early concept through prototyping, qualification, and production release at constellation scale. The solar array spans electrical, mechanical, thermal, optical, and manufacturing domains, and integrates directly with the spacecraft structure, harness, and Electrical Power Subsystem — making this one of the most cross-functional and technically demanding RE roles on the program. This is a senior technical leadership role. You will drive requirements, lead design reviews, coordinate across disciplines, and serve as the subject matter expert from the design floor through vehicle integration. TeraWave's production rate of thousands of units means your decisions directly impact cost, schedule, and yield. If you want to own a critical flight system end-to-end and see it fly at scale, this role is for you.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or Materials Science Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field
5 or more years of direct hands-on experience in solar panel or photovoltaic assembly development, with at least 3 years in space applications
Demonstrated experience designing, specifying, procuring, and testing space-grade solar panels, including photovoltaic cell selection, panel construction, and adhesive systems
Familiarity with solar panel design standards and test methods such as AIAA S-112, including knowledge of space environment effects on solar panels — vacuum, radiation, UV exposure, and thermal cycling
Experience with high-voltage spacecraft design above 50V, including solar array interface definition and integration with spacecraft power bus architectures
Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum — required for access to export-controlled technical data

Nice To Haves

Advanced graduate degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or Materials Science Engineering, Physics, or a related field
8 or more years of solar panel development experience, with 5 or more years in space applications
Subject matter expertise in solar array architecture trade studies, performance characterization, and component selection
Experience leading or substantially contributing to a formal qualification campaign per AIAA S-112 or a directly comparable standard
Proficiency with engineering design and simulation tools such as Creo, Ansys, MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, or STK
Experience with high-voltage or dual-voltage power bus architectures and the associated solar array interface requirements
Familiarity with I-V curve characterization equipment and solar array simulators for qualification and production acceptance testing
Experience collaborating with suppliers and contract manufacturers on DFM/DFA optimization, quality, and production transition
Strong written and verbal technical communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to author specifications, test plans, and analysis reports independently

Responsibilities

Own the full design and development of space-grade photovoltaic assemblies from concept through flight-qualified, production-ready hardware
Derive and maintain solar array requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), and design specifications in coordination with systems engineering and adjacent subsystems including EPS, thermal, structures, harness, and manufacturing
Lead design trade studies for solar array architecture, cell selection, panel construction, and high-voltage bus compatibility; document results and drive decisions
Characterize solar array electrical and optical performance across illumination angles, temperature ranges, and space environment conditions including radiation, UV, and thermal cycling
Lead internal design reviews and participate in supplier and customer reviews; champion design for test, manufacture, and cost (DFx) principles throughout development
Define and support component-level and system-level test programs including characterization, risk reduction, qualification, and integrated vehicle-level testing
Serve as the subject matter expert for solar array integration into the vehicle; lead troubleshooting and anomaly resolution during integration and acceptance testing
Communicate development status, risks, and challenges clearly and regularly to program leadership and stakeholders
Collaborate with manufacturing operations and supply chain to ensure smooth transition to production and support ongoing rate manufacturing
Own and maintain the complete solar array design package — drawings, BOMs, specifications, and analysis reports — within the configuration management system