Senior Satellite Simulation & Test Software Engineer - TeraWave

Blue Origin; Washington; On-site; USD 198,000 - 277,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin is seeking an experienced Satellite Simulation and Test Software Engineer IV/Sr to design, develop, and verify simulation environments for the TeraWave satellite flight software subsystem. You will collaborate across hardware, systems, and autonomy engineering teams to model C&DH interfaces, sensors, and actuators, supporting SIL/HIL testing and on-orbit operations troubleshooting.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, architecture leadership, and the ability to deploy simulation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field (CS/Software/Aerospace).
• 10+ years of experience in spacecraft or embedded software development.
• Experience designing and leading simulation environments for flight/embedded systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement simulation software for testing flight software.
• Collaborate with test leads to deploy simulation environments on multiple platforms (SIL/HIL).
• Work with hardware, systems, and autonomy engineers on interfaces and behavioral boundaries.
• Develop and integrate models to test FSW across nominal and off-nominal scenarios.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to team technical development.

Skills

C/C++/Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/SE/Aerospace

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Git

Google Test

IPC (sockets, shared memory, queues)

CI/CD

Docker / Containerization

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 Simulation and Test Software Engineer IV/Sr to design, develop, and verify simulation environments and models for testing TeraWave’s satellite flight software subsystem. This role will be instrumental in software validation to support the expansion of TeraWave into a 5,408-vehicle constellation. The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineer who can think independently and work in collaboration with subject matter experts to build a practical, scalable, flexible simulation environment. This person will have experience with spacecraft command and data handling (C&DH), telecommand and telemetry processing, hardware I/O interfaces, and the physics of spacecraft systems.**Responsibilities include but are not limited to:*** Design, develop, and implement simulation software for testing and verifying TeraWave's flight software.* Collaboration with test team leads to develop a simulation environment that can be deployed on multiple platforms to support software-only test, HWIL test, real-time environment tests, and spacecraft AI&T* Collaborate with hardware, systems, and autonomy engineers to understand software requirements, interfaces, and behavioral boundaries across subsystems* Develop and integrate simulation environments and models to test FSW across a range of nominal and off-nominal operational scenarios* Participate in software integration, verification, and validation testing including software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments* Background support of on-orbit operations and troubleshooting of deployed spacecraft* Mentor junior engineers and contribute to team technical development**Minimum Qualifications*** Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field* 10+ years of experience in spacecraft software, simulation software, or embedded software development* Proven experience with architecture and development of simulation environments for flight or embedded systems* Demonstrated ability to lead the technical architecture of a complex software system* Understanding of deterministic lockstep simulation design coupling algorithms with representative models, with consideration of synchronization and repeatability* Some knowledge of GN&C sensor and actuator suite modeling (e.g. IMU, star tracker, magnetometer, reaction wheel assembly, magnetic torque rods)* Strong programming skills in C, C++, and Python* Solid understanding of Object-Oriented problem solving and software layering to facilitate modularity and reuse* Experience with software unit testing frameworks such as Google Test or equivalent for embedded C/C++ environments* Experience with inter-process communication (IPC) mechanisms including sockets, shared memory, message queues, or publish-subscribe middleware* Experience with software lifecycle, configuration management (Git), CI/CD, and containerized environments* Experience with verification/validation practices for mission-critical embedded software systems* Understanding of flight software/hardware interfaces including discrete I/O, TCP/IP, UDP, CAN, I2C, SPI, and RS-422/485* Familiarity with static analysis tools and flight software coding standards such as MISRA C/C++* 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*** Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field* Experience with simulation environments such as NASA’s Trick* Knowledge of orbital mechanics and propagation models* Familiarity with CCSDS standards for spacecraft telecommand and telemetry processing* Some experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) such as Linux, QNX, VxWorks, RTEMS or equivalent* Experience with onboard time management, precision timing interfaces, or GPS-disciplined time synchronization* Familiarity with NASA cFS software architecture* Familiarity with spacecraft FDIR (Fault Detection, Isolation, and Response) concepts### Base Pay Range for:CA applicants is $197,529.00 - $276,539.55CO applicants is $181,626.00 - $254,275.35WA applicants is $197,529.00 - $276,539.55