Lead Space Vehicle Systems Engineer: Vision & Impact

Blue Origin LLC; Littleton (CO); On-site; USD 161,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Stock Options

Job summary

Blue Origin seeks a Principal Systems Engineer to serve as Space Vehicle System Design Lead for a unique customer mission, guiding architecture, requirements, and verification across hardware and software domains.

The role emphasizes MBSE excellence, collaboration with engineering teams, and leadership in mission CONOPS, integration, and test campaigns to ensure safe and reliable spaceflight.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or closely related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in spacecraft design, command & control systems, space communications, avionics systems, or a closely related engineering field, with demonstrated progression to senior/lead technical roles.
• Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional technical programs or subsystems from concept through qualification and operational deployment.
• Strong working knowledge of control theory, digital signal processing, and closed-loop system design for spacecraft systems.
• Experience defining and managing system-level requirements, interfaces, and verification/validation strategies across hardware and software domains.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence technical teams and stakeholders.
• Proficiency in model-based design and simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink) and scripting languages (Python or equivalent).
• Direct experience with spacecraft communication protocols and emerging technologies.
• Familiarity with, or experience in, Model-Based Systems Engineering, such as System Models and/or System Architecture diagrams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex technical topics to audiences including senior leadership and customer organizations.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Responsibilities

• Own the architectural technical baseline development for the assigned program.
• Define and drive the technical vision, architecture, and long-term engineering roadmap for that program’s spacecraft solution for a unique customer mission.
• Lead decomposition and allocation of requirements.
• Establish and maintain system-level requirements, interface control documents, and design standards spacecraft subsystems.
• Provide thought leadership and technical direction for mission CONOPS development and detailed mission planning.
• Function as a technical lead for milestone reviews.
• Participate as a non-advocate reviewer for cross-program architectural decisions.
• Lead identification, assessment, and mitigation of complex system-level technical risks across all mission phases.
• Drive technology maturation and identify emerging technology opportunities within the spacecraft development team.
• Provide technical oversight and direction for the integration of spacecraft hardware, software, and control systems into test facilities and onto launch vehicles.
• Develop and maintain model-based design frameworks, simulation environments, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test capabilities to accelerate verification and validation.
• Collaborate with program leadership, chief engineers, and functional managers to align technical execution with cost, schedule, and mission objectives.
• Champion engineering best practices, design criteria, and lessons learned.
• Mentor and develop engineers at all levels; actively contribute to a culture of technical excellence, safety, and continuous learning.
• Support and provide technical oversight during critical test campaigns and mission operations, both on-site and remotely.
• Partner with Enterprise functions (Operations, Supply Chain, Mission Assurance) to ensure producibility, reliability, and cost-effectiveness spacecraft system designs.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

Computer Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Systems Engineering

Controls theory

Digital signal processing

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

Spacecraft communications

Team leadership

Education

B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or closely related technical field

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

Job description

Blue Origin seeks a Principal Systems Engineer to serve as Space Vehicle System Design Lead for a unique customer mission, guiding architecture, requirements, and verification across hardware and software domains.

The role emphasizes MBSE excellence, collaboration with engineering teams, and leadership in mission CONOPS, integration, and test campaigns to ensure safe and reliable spaceflight.