Senior Constellation AI&T Engineer

BLUE ORIGIN; Huntsville (TN); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Travel up to 25%

TS/SCI clearance eligible

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Senior Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T) Engineer to shape the integration, test, and verification approach for satellite payloads and space constellations. You will translate mission architectures into credible AI&T concepts, grounded in hands-on experience across buses, sensors, and payloads.

The role requires leading design-for-test decisions, developing automated test strategies, and authoring proposal content while working with cross-functional teams to manage

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent; 10+ years in aerospace systems.
• 6+ years' experience in spacecraft AI&T or assembly & test.
• Hands-on integration on the floor and/or at launch sites.
• Ability to scale AI&T metrics and develop automated checkout strategies.

Responsibilities

• Define AI&T architectures for constellation concepts including test flow and throughput modelling.
• Drive design-for-test/integration across payload and bus subsystems.
• Develop AI&T concepts for rate production and first-pass yield.
• Define launch-site processing throughput and deployment concepts.
• Author technical content for proposals, white papers, and customer engagements.
• Serve as AI&T technical authority in architecture reviews and gates.
• Partner with program AI&T teams to ground concepts in real capability.

Skills

10+ years aerospace design/flight

6+ years AI&T in spacecraft

Systems engineering fundamentals

Ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance

Education

B.S. in engineering or equivalent

M.S./Ph.D. preferred

Tools

GSE & test facilities

HALT/HASS environments

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.

This role is part of the Blue National Security business unit, which is focused on delivering advanced space-based capabilities in support of national security, civil, and commercial missions. Within the Advanced Systems organization, the multi-disciplinary Future Concepts & Capabilities team operates at the forefront of systems engineering, formulation, and architecture, developing next-generation space systems that address the most demanding and consequential challenges in the space domain.

We are seeking a Senior Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T) Engineer to shape the integration, test, and verification approach for satellite payloads and integrated in-space constellation solutions from the earliest stages of mission concept development. In this role, you will translate mission architectures and customer requirements into credible, cost-effective AI&T approaches — spanning test flow concepts, verification planning, acceptance campaign design, and proposal content — drawing on your own hands‑on AI&T background to ground those concepts in demonstrated, real-world capability. The ideal candidate brings deep AI&T expertise on space-qualified buses, components, sensor systems, and/or specialized payloads, combined with the ability to assess integration and test risk early in a program’s lifecycle and translate that insight into winning technical proposals.

If you’re looking for novel challenges and rewarding work, come join a team developing next‑generation space systems for the defense and civil domains!

Special Mentions

• Relocation: Relocation assistance is available for candidates relocating to one of the office locations listed above.
• Travel: Up to 25% travel may be required, depending on work location and program needs.
• Clearance: Candidates must have the ability & willingness to obtain a U.S. Government TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Define integration and test architectures for constellation concepts, including test flow, facility and GSE concepts, acceptance campaign structure, and throughput modeling at quantities from tens to hundreds of vehicles.

• Drive design‑for‑test and design‑for‑integration into early architecture trades across payload and bus subsystems (power, comm, avionics, GN&C, propulsion, thermal, structures).

• Develop AI&T concepts for rate production, including test automation, streamlined acceptance campaigns, reduced‑touch environmental strategies, and first‑pass‑yield and rework assumptions.

• Define launch‑cadence‑driven constraints on the architecture: dispenser and stack integration, encapsulation flow, launch site processing throughput, and deployment concepts.

• Author technical content for proposals, white papers, and customer engagements, including AI&T approach, test flow narratives, staffing and facility basis of estimate, and associated risk.

• Serve as the AI&T technical authority in architecture reviews, concept gates, and independent reviews; capture integration and test risks and mitigation plans.

• Partner with program AI&T organizations to ground concepts in real, demonstrated capability and to hand off mature architectures at award.

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.S. in engineering or equivalent technical field; 10+ years of related experience in the design, development, and flight of aerospace systems.

• 6+ years of experience in spacecraft or aerospace systems assembly, integration and test.

• Has taken at least one aerospace system through assembly, integration, and test to launch or deployment, including hands‑on time on the integration floor and/or at the launch site.

• Demonstrated ability to scale test and verification strategy to program needs — from tens of units under traditional aerospace practice (SMC-S-016 / MIL-STD-1540) to high‑rate builds using protoflight, HALT/HASS, and lot acceptance sampling — and to select and defend the appropriate qualification and acceptance approach based on build rate, mission class, and risk posture.

• Experience establishing and driving AI&T metrics (e.g., first‑pass yield, test cycle time, rework rates) and defining automated checkout and screening/acceptance sampling strategies.

• Strong systems engineering fundamentals, including requirements verification and the full “Systems Engineering V.”

• Proven ability to build and defend cost, schedule, and throughput estimates for work that has not been done before.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to influence multidisciplinary teams and brief senior internal and customer stakeholders.

• Comfortable operating with incomplete information on quick‑turn studies with shifting priorities.

• Ability to obtain a U.S. Government TS/SCI clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• M.S. or Ph.D. with 8+ years in engineering or equivalent technical field.

• Experience on programs spanning both ends of the production volume spectrum — exquisite/low‑rate and proliferated/high‑rate — in space or an adjacent high‑reliability industry (aircraft, missiles, automotive/EV, semiconductor capital equipment).

• Experience tailoring SMC-S-016, MIL-STD-1540, or equivalent qualification standards for a proliferated architecture, and defending that tailoring to a government customer.

• Experience with HALT/HASS screening, reliability growth, or environmental stress screening program design.

• Demonstrated experience designing, standing up, or materially scaling a production line for complex aerospace or comparable hardware, including taking a program from prototype/first‑article build through sustained‑rate production.

Base Pay Range for:

CA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45 CO applicants is $144,179.00 - $201,849.90 WA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45 VA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45

Other site ranges may differ

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

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

• 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

• 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