Senior Spacecraft Solar Array Engineer- TeraWave

Blue Origin LLC; United States; On-site; USD 144,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Stock options

401(k) with company match

Education Support Program

Paid time off

Job summary

Blue Origin LLC is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Solar Array Engineer to lead the solar array development from concept through production release for our TeraWave spacecraft program. You will own requirements, drive design reviews, and coordinate across EPS, thermal, structures, and harness teams, delivering flight-qualified hardware at constellation scale.

The role requires deep space experience with solar panels, high-voltage bus interfaces, and DFx-oriented design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or Materials Science Engineering, Physics, or closely related field; 5+ years in solar panel/dev for space
• Experience designing, specifying, procuring, and testing space-grade solar panels including cell selection and panel construction
• Familiarity with solar panel design standards and test methods (e.g., AIAA S-112) and space environment effects

Responsibilities

• Own design and development of space-grade photovoltaic assemblies from concept to flight-qualified hardware
• Derive and maintain solar array requirements, ICDs, and design specs with systems eng. and EPS/thermal/structures/harness
• Lead design trade studies for solar array architecture and high-voltage bus compatibility
• Characterize solar array performance across illumination, temp, and space environment conditions
• Lead internal design reviews and participate in supplier/customer reviews; advocate DFx principles
• Define and support test programs from characterization to vehicle-level testing
• Serve as subject matter expert for solar array integration and troubleshoot during integration
• Communicate status, risks, and challenges to leadership regularly
• Collaborate with manufacturing and supply chain for transition to production
• Maintain solar array design package within CM system

Skills

Technical leadership

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Requirements derivation

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or Materials Science Engineering, Physics

Advanced graduate degree

Tools

Creo

Ansys

MATLAB/Simulink

Simscape

STK

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! 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.

This role sits within the TeraWave Spacecraft Bus team.

Job Description

We are seeking a Senior Spacecraft Solar Array Engineer to serve as the Responsible Engineer (RE) for the solar array - the primary power generation system for the vehicle.

You will own the full product lifecycle from early concept through prototyping, qualification, and production release at constellation scale. The solar array spans electrical, mechanical, thermal, optical, and manufacturing domains, and integrates directly with the spacecraft structure, harness, and Electrical Power Subsystem - making this one of the most cross-functional and technically demanding RE roles on the program. This is a senior technical leadership role. You will drive requirements, lead design reviews, coordinate across disciplines, and serve as the subject matter expert from the design floor through vehicle integration. TeraWave's production rate of thousands of units means your decisions directly impact cost, schedule, and yield.

Responsibilities

• Own the full design and development of space-grade photovoltaic assemblies from concept through flight-qualified, production-ready hardware
• Derive and maintain solar array requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), and design specifications in coordination with systems engineering and adjacent subsystems including EPS, thermal, structures, harness, and manufacturing
• Lead design trade studies for solar array architecture, cell selection, panel construction, and high-voltage bus compatibility; document results and drive decisions
• Characterize solar array electrical and optical performance across illumination angles, temperature ranges, and space environment conditions including radiation, UV, and thermal cycling
• Lead internal design reviews and participate in supplier and customer reviews; champion design for test, manufacture, and cost (DFx) principles throughout development
• Define and support component-level and system-level test programs including characterization, risk reduction, qualification, and integrated vehicle-level testing
• Serve as the subject matter expert for solar array integration into the vehicle; lead troubleshooting and anomaly resolution during integration and acceptance testing
• Communicate development status, risks, and challenges clearly and regularly to program leadership and stakeholders
• Collaborate with manufacturing operations and supply chain to ensure smooth transition to production and support ongoing rate manufacturing
• Own and maintain the complete solar array design package - drawings, BOMs, specifications, and analysis reports - within the configuration management system

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or Materials Science Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field 5 or more years of direct hands‑on experience in solar panel or photovoltaic assembly development, with at least 3 years in space applications
• Demonstrated experience designing, specifying, procuring, and testing space-grade solar panels, including photovoltaic cell selection, panel construction, and adhesive systems
• Familiarity with solar panel design standards and test methods such as AIAA S-112, including knowledge of space environment effects on solar panels - vacuum, radiation, UV exposure, and thermal cycling
• Experience with high-voltage spacecraft design above 50V, including solar array interface definition and integration with spacecraft power bus architectures
• Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum - required for access to export-controlled technical data

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced graduate degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or Materials Science Engineering, Physics, or a related field 8 or more years of solar panel development experience, with 5 or more years in space applications
• Subject matter expertise in solar array architecture trade studies, performance characterization, and component selection
• Experience leading or substantially contributing to a formal qualification campaign per AIAA S-112 or a directly comparable standard
• Proficiency with engineering design and simulation tools such as Creo, Ansys, MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, or STK
• Experience with high-voltage or dual-voltage power bus architectures and the associated solar array interface requirements
• Familiarity with I-V curve characterization equipment and solar array simulators for qualification and production acceptance testing
• Experience collaborating with suppliers and contract manufacturers on DFM/DFA optimization, quality, and production transition
• Strong written and verbal technical communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to author specifications, test plans, and analysis reports independently
• 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 Other site ranges may differ

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 (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.
• Please check with your recruiter for more details.

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.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s ...

Culture Statement

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!

About 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.

U.S. Applicant Privacy Notice EU Applicant Privacy Notice