Principal Payload Systems Engineer (TS/SCI Required)

Blue Origin LLC; United States; On-site; USD 173,000 - 256,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Education Support Program

Stock options for regular employees

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC is seeking a Principal Payload Systems Engineer to lead the integration of optical terminals on spacecraft and manage payload across the full lifecycle. You will interface with customers, guide technical trade studies, and shape proposals with multi-discipline teams.

The role emphasizes systems engineering rigor, requirements traceability, and risk management to ensure successful payload integration and mission success.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10+ years of experience in systems engineering principles and execution.
• Experience in payload accommodation or spacecraft design, development, integration, and testing.
• Experience with project or program management.
• Able to work with minimal direction and collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of current systems engineering and integration tools and methodologies.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer and payload management across full payload lifecycle from contract through integration and launch.
• Serve as primary technical interface between Blue Origin and payload customers.
• Coordinate payload requirements, integration schedules, and technical documentation.
• Assist development of technical proposals, payload accommodation concepts, interface definitions, and mass/volume/power assessments.
• Develop and verify system requirements; maintain interface control documents (ICDs).
• Identify and manage technical risks; oversee payload integration activities and testing.
• Coordinate with manufacturing and operations for smooth transition to launch.

Skills

Systems engineering

Payload management

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace engineering

MS degree preferred

Tools

DOORS Next Generation

System lifecycle configuration management tools

Job description

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. We are seeking a Principal Payload Systems Engineer to manage the integration of optical terminals on spacecraft. This individual will apply customer management skills and systems engineering practices across various technical subject areas. Additionally, this role requires understanding and supporting requirements analysis and traceability; functional, systems, and safety analysis; technical performance monitoring; development of specialty engineering approaches to operability, reliability, maintainability and supportability; and system product lifecycle processes.

Relocation assistance may be available for this position Travel expectations: Up to 20% travel may be required for customer meetings, integration activities, and launch support Active TS/SCI is required.

Responsibilities

• Customer and Payload Management
• Work with customers as a technical advocate for one or more payloads through the full payload lifecycle (execution of contract through payload integration and launch)
• Serve as the primary technical interface between Blue Origin and payload customers
• Coordinate payload requirements, integration schedules, and technical documentation
• Support the development of technical proposal content, including payload accommodation concepts, interface definitions, and mass/volume/power assessments in response to customer RFPs and RFIs
• Collaborate with business development and capture teams to provide payload accommodation expertise and technical inputs that inform pricing, schedules, and programmatic commitments during the proposal lifecycle
• Systems Engineering Lead the development, allocation, and verification of requirements
• Assist with the development of systems engineering processes and tools, ensure consistent implementation, and service in a system integration capacity
• Work with multi-discipline teams to arrive at technical system solutions
• Develop and maintain interface control documents (ICDs) between payloads and spacecraft systems
• Identify and manage technical risks throughout the payload integration process
• Integration and Testing Oversee payload integration activities, ensuring compliance with requirements and specifications
• Support payload testing and verification activities
• Coordinate with manufacturing and operations teams to ensure smooth transition from integration to launch

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in systems engineering principles and execution
• Experience in payload accommodation or spacecraft design, development, integration, and testing
• Experience with project or program management
• Able to work with minimal direction as well collaboratively with cross functional team members
• Knowledge of current systems engineering and integration tools and methodologies
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace engineering

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. degree in a relevant technical field
• 15 years of related experience
• Experience leading the establishment and adherence of systems requirements for an aerospace project with a varied group of engineers across multiple disciplines
• Experience with verification of requirements using tools like DOORS Next Generation, system lifecycle configuration management tools, and other functional analysis toolsets
• Knowledgeable about system design and analysis and relations to element design at the flight and ground levels as well as component specification development
• Experience with optical communications systems and terminals
• Background in spacecraft bus systems and subsystem interfaces

Base Pay Range for: CO applicants is $173,466.00 - $242,851.35 WA applicants is $183,193.00 - $256,469.85 Other site ranges may differ

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.

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 laws, 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 Aff…

We’re committed to building the road to space so our children can build the future. We are a mission-driven company focused on ideas and innovation, and encourage fresh perspectives from bold voices. At Blue, our team is building the future as their unique selves. Thank you for your interest in working at Blue Origin! Blue Origin was founded with a vision to enable a future where millions of people are living and working in space to benefit Earth. In order to preserve Earth, Blue Origin believes in the need to enable humanity to expand, explore, find new energy and material resources, and move industries that stress Earth into space. Blue Origin believes it has an important role in building a road to space and lowering the cost of getting there. At Blue Origin, we’re working on this today by developing fully reusable launch vehicles and systems that are safe, reliable and affordable. Every launch vehicle is designed for human spaceflight from the beginning and able to ferry payloads to space.

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