Sr Director NG Software Engineering
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! This role supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable. Blue Origin is seeking an experienced and visionary Senior Director of Software Engineering to lead a talented team of software engineers responsible for delivering mission-critical software systems supporting our New Glenn orbital launch vehicle program. This leader will oversee the development and delivery of embedded flight software, chassis test software, and certain ground software systems — all of which play a direct role in enabling safe, reliable, and reusable access to space. This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a rare combination of deep technical depth, program execution experience, and the ability to inspire and grow high-performing engineering teams.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field
- 15+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 5 years in senior leadership roles managing large engineering teams
- Demonstrated experience delivering embedded software for safety-critical or flight-critical systems (aerospace, defense, or similar regulated domains)
- Strong understanding of real-time operating systems (RTOS), embedded C/C++, and hardware/software integration
- Experience leading software verification and validation activities, including requirements traceability, unit testing, integration testing, and software qualification
- Proven ability to manage cross-functional programs, balance competing priorities, and deliver under schedule and budget constraints
- Excellent communication skills with demonstrated ability to present complex technical topics to executive leadership and non-technical stakeholders
- Experience building and scaling high-performing engineering organizations
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree in a relevant engineering or computer science discipline
- Experience with launch vehicle, spacecraft, or missile systems software development
- Familiarity with DO-178C, NASA-STD-8739.8, or similar software safety and quality standards
- Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and model-based software development tools (e.g., Simulink/autocoding)
- Familiarity with vehicle integration and test operations and associated test software architectures
- Prior experience at a launch vehicle manufacturer, defense prime contractor, or commercial space company
Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, and develop a multi-disciplinary team of software engineers spanning embedded flight software, chassis/test software, and ground systems
- Define and execute the software engineering roadmap aligned with New Glenn program milestones, launch schedules, and long-term vehicle reusability goals
- Own the full software development lifecycle — from requirements and architecture through integration, verification, and flight certification
- Drive engineering excellence through the adoption of rigorous software development processes, coding standards, and verification & validation methodologies appropriate for safety-critical aerospace systems
- Champion a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement across all software domains
- Partner with avionics, systems engineering, and test operations teams to ensure seamless hardware/software integration
- Collaborate with program management to develop accurate schedules, manage technical risk, and communicate software status to senior leadership and stakeholders
- Lead architectural decisions for embedded flight software systems including flight computers, sensor interfaces, and communication
- Oversee development and maintenance of a chassis test software platform used in qualification and acceptance testing of avionics hardware
- Recruit, hire, and retain top-tier software engineering talent; build organizational capacity to meet program growth demands
- Establish metrics and KPIs to track software quality, team productivity, and schedule performance
- Manage departmental budgets and resource allocation across multiple concurrent work streams
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%
- Education Support Program
- Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
- Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours
- Up to 14 company-paid holidays
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
