Sr. Lab Manager, TeraWave

BLUE ORIGIN•Redmond, WA

2d•$229,787 - $321,701•Onsite

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 is part of TeraWave, Blue Origin's Payloads organization, developing the optical and RF communication systems and sensors that give our vehicles their eyes and their voice: Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISL), RF payload and RF ground systems. As a hardworking team of diverse engineers and technicians, we build, test, and qualify hardware that has to work the first time, every time, once it leaves the ground. As Sr. Lab Manager, you will lead the engineers and technicians responsible for the labs that support development of these payload systems. This is a hands-on technical leadership role: you will manage people, but you will also be expected to understand the optical and electrical work happening on your benches well enough to make good calls on lab design, equipment, and priorities. A core part of this role is building out new lab capability from the ground up, including labs with the specialized environmental, contamination control, and alignment requirements unique to optical systems. This position requires on-site work at Redmond, WA once our lab space is secured.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Optics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline, with 6+ years of hands-on lab experience; or equivalent hands-on experience without a degree.
5+ years of people management experience, with responsibility for the full employee lifecycle: hiring, onboarding, daily management, career development, performance management, and terminations. (Lead, team lead, or supervisor roles without this formal authority do not satisfy this requirement.)
Experience in optical and electrical lab environments, with a working understanding of the unique requirements of optical labs (contamination control, vibration and thermal sensitivity, alignment, laser safety).
Demonstrated experience standing up a lab from the ground up, including equipment selection, facility layout, and commissioning.
Demonstrated ability to read and interpret optical and electrical schematics, and to perform hands-on troubleshooting at the component and system level.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work across engineering disciplines and represent the team to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting development of free-space optical communications, RF payload, RF ground, or star tracker/attitude sensing systems.
Experience in a flight hardware or aerospace test environment.
Familiarity with laser safety program requirements (ANSI Z136) and cleanroom/contamination control standards.
Familiarity with Atlassian/Jira or similar tools for task planning and tracking.
Experience with configuration management of lab-based test and data collection systems.
Demonstrated experience with or strong interest in using automation or AI tools to improve lab productivity.

Responsibilities

Manage the team of lab engineers and technicians supporting OISL, RF payload, RF ground, and Star Tracker development, including recruiting, hiring, mentoring, performance evaluation, and career development.
Lead the design, build-out, and commissioning of new lab space from the ground up, including facility layout, utilities, and environmental controls appropriate to optical and electrical test equipment.
Define and enforce the unique requirements of an optical lab: contamination control, vibration isolation, thermal stability, laser safety, and cleanliness standards, alongside standard electrical lab practices.
Coordinate with payload subsystem leads (OISL, RF payload, RF ground, Star Tracker) to understand test and integration needs and prioritize lab resources and schedule accordingly.
Oversee procurement of lab equipment, tools, and test hardware; coordinate facility upgrades and maintenance; ensure calibrated equipment remains in an active calibrated state.
Drive a culture of safety in the lab, including laser safety, electrical safety, and proper training for all personnel and visitors.
Develop and maintain lab procedures, configuration management practices, and documentation to support repeatable, traceable test operations.
Scope, assign, and track technical work across the team, ensuring each team member has a clear, prioritized workload and that milestones are met.
Troubleshoot and resolve lab-level issues, engaging hands-on where needed to unblock the team.