Mission Design and Ground Navigation Engineer

Blue Origin LLC; Washington; On-site; USD 131,000 - 183,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Stock options

Paid time off and holidays

Education Support Program

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking an experienced trajectory analyst to design and optimize Earth-to-Moon trajectories within the Lunar Permanence unit. You will contribute to reference trajectories, ground navigation, and mission studies, collaborating across subsystems to meet full vehicle and mission needs.

The role emphasizes developing flight dynamics software, validating requirements, and supporting operations during missions, with strong emphasis on engineering rigor and safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or related field.
• 4+ years of trajectory analysis, flight dynamics, or mission design experience.
• Strong fundamentals in orbital mechanics and astrodynamics.

Responsibilities

• Optimize Earth-to-Moon trajectories and perform trajectory analyses.
• Analyze dispersed trajectories and delta-v budgets.
• Conduct ground-based navigation and orbit determination analyses.
• Perform mission-design trades to meet requirements and support reviews.
• Develop flight dynamics operational software and tools.
• Support flight operations during missions and post-flight analyses.

Skills

Trajectory analysis

Flight dynamics

Ground navigation

Orbital mechanics

Mission design lifecycle

Trajectory optimization tools

Programming: Python/C++/MATLAB

Education

B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

M.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Jira

git

Jenkins

Docker

VSCode

Visual Studio

Job description

Application close date

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

About the role

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 is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin’s Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface. As part of a hardworking team of engineers, you will join our Mission Design and Ground Navigation team within the Mission Operations System IPT. You will share in the team’s impact on all aspects of the trajectory for spacecraft from the Earth to the Moon! Expect to be a technical contributor to the Blue Moon program within the Lunar Permanence business unit. You will develop reference trajectories, perform ground navigation analysis, and support integrated vehicle trade studies. Additionally, you will perform dispersed trajectory analysis and develop off-nominal concept of operations. Cross-subsystem collaboration will be common, as you work to design a trajectory which meets full vehicle and mission needs.

Responsibilities

• Optimizing Earth-to-Moon trajectories
• Analyzing dispersed trajectories and delta-v budgets
• Performing ground-based navigation and orbit determination analysis
• Conducting analyses and trades to validate mission requirements
• Presenting results at gated reviews
• Developing flight dynamics operational software
• Supporting flight operations during missions

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related fields
• 4+ years of proven experience focused on trajectory analysis, flight dynamics, or mission design
• Strong fundamentals in orbital mechanics and astrodynamics
• Understanding of the mission design lifecycle from concept through operational flight
• Understanding of ground-based navigation and statistical orbit determination
• Applied experience in one or more mission design and trajectory optimization tools, such as: Monte, Copernicus, EMTG, STK/ODT, FreeFlyer, or GMAT
• Applied experience in one or more of the following languages: Julia, Python, C++, Rust, or MATLAB
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related fields
• 7+ years of proven experience focused on trajectory analysis, flight dynamics, or mission design
• Applied experience in the ground-based navigation and statistical orbit determination processes
• Applied experience in trajectory optimization
• Experience using the Monte software package
• Experience performing spacecraft operations
• Experience with DevOps processes including configuration control, continuous development and deployment workflows, Agile methodologies, and software code review.
• Previous experience with software development tooling such as Jira, git, Jenkins, Docker, Visual Studio, or VSCode

Base Pay Range

Base Pay Range for: WA applicants is $130,706.00 - $182,987.70 Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Culture Statement Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Export Control Regulations Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

Background Check Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training. Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

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.
• Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion.
• Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws.

For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affi…