Satellite Software and Autonomy Engineer III – TeraWave

Blue Origin; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC in Seattle is seeking a Satellite Software and Autonomy Engineer III to design, develop, integrate, and verify onboard autonomy for TeraWave. You will shape fault management, mission sequencing, and mode transitions across multiple subsystems, delivering robust flight software for a 5,408-vehicle constellation.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience with FDIR, real-time systems, and cross-subsystem integration, plus proficiency in C/C++ and Python, and strong testing/CI

Qualifications

• B.S. in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering or computer science; relevant field.
• 5+ years in mission automation, FDIR, or onboard autonomy for space systems.
• Translate fault/response requirements into flight-software implementations with SMEs.
• Experience with CI systems and automated software testing.
• Proficient in C/C++, Python; familiar with XML/JSON/YAML data formats.

Responsibilities

• Define and document integrated onboard autonomy across subsystems, incl. fault responses and mode transitions.
• Develop onboard fault detection, isolation, and response logic across satellite subsystems.
• Develop and integrate flight software for fault management and autonomy applications.
• Develop mission sequencing and mode management logic for Phases and contingency transitions.
• Collaborate with Flight Software, Avionics, GN&C, Power, RF/Comm, and Thermal teams; verify and validate scripts.
• Work with FMECA/CONOPS and System Hazards Analyses to inform autonomy design.
• Maintain table-driven flight software parameters for FDIR and mode transitions.

Skills

FDIR

Mission Sequencing

Onboard Autonomy

Real-time Software

C/C++

Python

Testing/CI

Git

Education

B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science

Tools

CI/CD tooling

Trick Sim (or similar)

Git (as a tool)

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! 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.We are seeking a Satellite Software and Autonomy Engineer III to design, develop, integrate, and verify applications for TeraWave's onboard fault management, mission sequencing, mode management, and autonomy systems. This role will be instrumental in building robust, scalable flight software to support the growth of TeraWave into a 5,408-vehicle constellation. The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineer with experience in fault management, mission sequencing, flight software, system-level testing, and cross-subsystem integration. **Responsibilities include but are not limited to:*** Define and document integrated onboard autonomy behavior across subsystem interfaces, including fault responses, mode transitions, command sequences, telemetry expectations, and operational constraints* Develop onboard fault detection, isolation, and response logic across multiple satellite subsystems, including fault monitors, persistence logic, inhibits, recovery actions, response sequencing, and escalation paths* Develop and integrate flight software for fault management and system-level autonomy applications and parameters* Develop onboard mission sequencing and mode management logic for key mission phases, satellite modes, and nominal/contingency mode transitions* Collaborate across subsystems including Flight Software, Avionics, GN&C, Electrical Power, C&DH, Propulsion, RF/Communications, and Thermal* Develop and execute verification and validation scripts, including fault injection, scenario-based testing, telemetry validation, and regression testing, to ensure onboard autonomy meets requirements and operational needs* Partner with Systems Engineering on Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), Mission Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and System Hazards Analyses to inform onboard autonomy design* Develop and maintain table-driven flight software parameters supporting FDIR, sequencing, and mode management, such as limit tables, fault response tables, command sequences, and mode transition tables* Partner with mission operations and fleet management teams to ensure onboard autonomy, telemetry, commanding, and recovery behavior support scalable operations across the constellation**Minimum Qualifications*** B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field* 5+ years of experience developing mission automation, FDIR, mission sequencing, onboard autonomy, or related real-time software for satellite or space vehicle systems* Demonstrated ability to translate subsystem-level fault detection/response requirements into flight software implementation, working directly with subsystem SMEs* Experience with continuous integration (CI) systems and automated software testing* Experience with software configuration control tools such as Git or similar* Experience developing FDIR, mission sequencing, or onboard autonomy across multiple subsystems* Experience developing, integrating and/or testing real-time flight software* Experience with software development and/or integration using C/C++, Python, and structured configuration/data formats such as XML, YAML, JSON, or similar* Experience developing test scripts and performing telemetry analysis**Preferred Qualifications*** Experience with satellite flight and/or ground operations* Experience working in Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) and/or Software-in-the-Loop (SWIL) lab environments* Experience developing deterministic nominal and contingency autonomy for major mission phases or modes* Experience integrating with avionics systems and communications protocols* Experience managing flight software parameter/configuration changes through formal review, verification, release, and operational deployment processes* Experience developing satellite or space vehicle autonomy through the full lifecycle, including flight operations* Experience with requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, Jama) for tracing fault management and sequencing requirements to implementation* Experience supporting anomaly investigation and root cause analysis for onboard autonomy or FDIR behavior during test or flight operations* Experience with collaboration tools such as Confluence and JIRA* Experience designing, evaluating, and simulating state machines, mode managers, sequencing engines, or rule-based autonomy systems* Experience interfacing with simulation frameworks such as Trick Sim or comparable frameworks