Orbit Determination and Mission Design Engineer II

InvestedintheMission; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 98,208 - 137,491; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Navigation Engineer to join our In-Space Systems business unit in Reston, Virginia. The role focuses on developing navigation solutions for space exploration initiatives. You will work with a team on orbit determination, algorithm development, and mission support.

Candidates should have a Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, experience in Python or C++, and strong communication skills. This position offers comprehensive benefits including stock options, paid parental leave, and a competitive salary range.

Qualifications

• M.S. in relevant field with 2+ years of experience or Ph.D. without experience required.
• Foundational knowledge of astrodynamics and orbital mechanics.
• Experience in Python, Julia, or C++.

Responsibilities

• Perform orbit determination for spacecraft.
• Develop and maintain navigation algorithms.
• Support mission operations during critical phases.

Skills

Astrodynamics

Orbit Determination

Python

C++

Communication Skills

Education

M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Jira

Git

Monte

Job description

Application close date: Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

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!

The role is part of the In‑Space Systems business unit, which is focused on addressing two of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today: space infrastructure and increasing mobility on‑orbit.

Blue Origin's Blue National Security business unit is navigating spacecraft across some of the most complex and demanding regimes in spaceflight – from geostationary orbit to cislunar space and beyond to interplanetary destinations. Blue Ring, our multi‑mission space vehicle, are expanding the frontier of where we operate and what our navigation systems must do. Supporting these missions requires a growing team of skilled engineers who are ready to learn, code, and contribute from day one.

Your Impact

• Perform Orbit Determination: process radiometric, Doppler and GPS to generate orbit solutions for GEO, cislunar, and interplanetary spacecraft; learn to interpret and communicate results in an operational context.
• Develop Navigation Software: write, test, and maintain navigation algorithms and data processing tools in Python, Julia, or C++; contribute to a shared codebase following software development best practices.
• Support Mission Operations: provide operations support during mission‑critical phases, learning to execute orbit determination products under real‑time constraints alongside experienced navigators.
• Contribute to Mission Design: support trajectory and mission design tasks for GEO, cislunar, and interplanetary concepts.
• Build and Validate Models: develop and validate force models, measurement models, and simulation tools that underpin high‑fidelity navigation analysis.
• Collaborate and Communicate: work closely with ATX team members, flight operations teams, and systems engineers; clearly document and present results in technical memos and design reviews.
• Deliver with Agile Discipline: contribute to sprint planning and delivery in an Agile development environment; use tools such as Jira and git to manage and track work.

Minimum Qualifications

• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields with 2+ years of relevant experience; OR Ph.D. with no additional experience required.
• Foundational knowledge of astrodynamics and orbital mechanics.
• Experience or coursework in orbit determination, estimation theory, or navigation.
• Experience in at least one of the following: Python, Julia, or C++.
• Familiarity with numerical simulation tools or scripted analysis environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.
• 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

• Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields.
• Applied experience with orbit determination tools such as Monte, STK/ODTK, FreeFlyer, or GMAT.
• Familiarity with GEO, cislunar, or interplanetary mission environments and their associated navigation challenges.
• Experience with radiometric orbit determination (Doppler, ranging) or optical navigation techniques.
• Experience with mission design analysis including trajectory trade studies, delta‑v budgeting, or ConOps development.
• Exposure to spacecraft operations or mission operations environments.
• Experience with DevOps processes including configuration control, continuous integration/deployment, Agile methodologies, and code review.
• Previous experience with software development tooling such as Jira, git, Jenkins, Docker, and at least one IDE.
• Experience using generative AI tools to expedite and automate workflow.
• Willingness or ability to acquire Active Top Secret (TS) / Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance with SSBI and polygraph preferred.

Benefits

Benefits include: 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 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.

Base pay range for CO applicants is $98,208.00 - $137,491.20; other site ranges may differ.

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 workforce. 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 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 laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin's affirmative action plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin 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.

Background Check

Required for all positions: Blue Standard Background Check.

Required for certain positions: Defense Biometric Identification System background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation.

Required for certain positions: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight or 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, Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing, vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.

Required for certain positions: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical.