Senior Wireless Software Engineer - MAC Layer - TeraWave

BLUE ORIGIN • Spokane, WA

8d • $197,529 - $276,540

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. As a Senior Wireless Software Engineer for Spacecraft Systems, you will lead the design and implementation of a custom Media Access Control (MAC) layer for Blue Origin's groundbreaking TeraWave initiative. You will build the logic that governs how satellites communicate with each other and with the ground, creating a system that matches or exceeds the custom protocols seen in leading commercial constellations. This is not a standard wireless implementation role—in the TeraWave network, the MAC layer is the core intelligence of the system. This role requires close collaboration with PHY layer engineers and network architects to ensure the custom wireless stack delivers wire-like performance over space-based links, while addressing the unique challenges of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) environments.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field
• 7+ years of professional software development experience in wireless networking or embedded systems
• Mastery of C and C++ in Linux real-time (RTOS) or high-performance user-space environments
• Deep understanding of wireless MAC fundamentals, including framing, contention versus scheduled access, flow control, and QoS prioritization
• Demonstrated experience with the full lifecycle of a wireless protocol stack, from architectural design through hardware integration and field testing

Nice To Haves

• Previous work on custom MAC or link layers for satellite constellations, 3GPP/4G/5G, or similar non-terrestrial network programs
• Experience with user-space networking frameworks such as DPDK, VPP, or eBPF for line-rate packet processing
• Proficiency in building or using network simulators such as ns-3 to model protocol performance under various orbital conditions
• Familiarity with interfacing software with FPGAs or custom SoC accelerators for hardware-accelerated MAC functions

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement high-performance, low-overhead MAC protocols tailored for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint satellite links within the TeraWave constellation
• Develop sophisticated TDMA and demand-assigned multiple access (DAMA) schedulers to manage bandwidth across thousands of beams with microsecond precision
• Implement robust error control, retransmission (ARQ), and adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) logic capable of reacting instantly to fading conditions and orbital transitions
• Build software logic for seamless make-before-break handovers between satellites and ground stations operating in high-velocity orbital environments
• Optimize the interface between the wireless MAC layer and high-speed packet processing engines such as DPDK and VPP, ensuring zero-copy data paths and minimal jitter
• Design MAC layer architectures for constellation-scale deployments, ensuring efficient performance as the TeraWave network grows to thousands of satellites
• Collaborate with PHY layer engineers and network architects to align custom wireless stack design with system-level TeraWave performance requirements
• Drive technical decision-making related to MAC layer architecture, including framing strategies, contention versus scheduled access models, flow control, and QoS prioritization frameworks
• Lead MAC protocol development through the full lifecycle, from custom state machine design and simulation through hardware integration and field testing

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.
• Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
• Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

What This Job Offers

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