Flight Software Systems Engineering Lead, Sr

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 diverse 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.

The Flight Software Systems Engineering Lead role is part of the In-Space Systems business unit, which is passionate about development, manufacturing, and operation of satellite systems to address one of the most compelling challenges in spaceflight today : space mobility.

As part of a hardworking team of software developers, you will ensure our flight software satisfies the needs of our critical partners and craft the larger vehicle and ground architectures and designs to enable us to successfully implement the required capabilities.

In this role you will provide the technical glue connecting our flight software to the systems engineering functions across the program.

You will help ensure the program requirements, operational descriptions, and system designs have been shaped so that flight software can effectively meet our customers’ needs.

The higher-level requirements will in turn need to be decomposed into valid, well-written software requirements, interfaces, and designs that can be implemented by the development team.

Throughout, you will help guide the software development and testing, resulting in the verification of a complete flight software solution.

To accomplish this, you will work closely with our Architect, who is defining the structure of our software, our Product Owner, who is defining the plan and top-level capabilities, and our Development and Verification Leads, who are ensuring the detailed implementation is in line with our roadmap, architecture, and requirements.

You will also be responsible for documenting how and what the flight software team produces by developing our standards and processes, and ensuring our architecture, designs, interfaces, and software products are sufficient.

This will require a systems-thinking approach as you must understand many of the architectural and design elements of the other systems so that you can align our software interfaces and interactions with their needs.

This role is central to ensuring a cohesive and relevant flight software design with well-defined interfaces that are fully understood and agreed to by our developers, customers, and partners.

Ideally, there will be no assumptions in how the software will act or what capabilities it will provide, allowing the software to integrate smoothly with the spacecraft subsystems as the designs come together.

Your efforts will also help ensure we meet the needs of the other elements, including our Production, Payload Integration, and Operations teams.

By proactively working the needs, requirements, and interfaces across the teams, our development team will be able to move forward with speed and confidence.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to :

• Shape all areas of the program, including the payload, spacecraft, and ground elements, to enable effective software development, and assess all non-software design decisions for potential flight software impacts.
• Regularly coordinate with users to ensure the software interfaces are current and agreed to.
• Ensure requirements are understandable, valid, traceable, and verifiable; maintaining the software baseline as the program evolves and new customers join us.
• Coordinate with Product Owner, Architect, Dev, and Verification leads to ensure the architecture and design will meet stakeholder needs, satisfy requirements, and can be verified.
• Support development of software lifecycle documentation, including the Software Development and Verification Plan (SDVP)

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. degree in computer science, computer engineering, applied mathematics, intelligent robotics, or related field.
• 10+ years of embedded software development experience with at least 5 years in spacecraft development and operations
• Experience developing time-critical systems, particularly those related to safety-critical and high-assurance applications across the lifecycle (define, build, verify, operate, etc.)
• Breadth and depth of understanding of embedded software development concepts, including design patterns, low-level software structures, hardware integration, inter-process communication, scheduling, partitioning, and network communication.
• Experience developing safety-critical and / or high-assurance software.
• 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

• M.S. degree in computer science, computer engineering, applied mathematics, intelligent robotics, or related field.
• 10+ years embedded software development experience developing, operating, and maintaining satellites or other space systems.
• Experience working with cross-functional stakeholders, shaping expectations, requirements, and designs that support effective software development.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex software concepts to senior leaders and customers, resulting in clear understanding of the issues that lead to decisions.
• Demonstrated experience applying new technologies and concepts while respecting best practices and acknowledging lessons learned.
• Experience setting up and developing embedded Linux with an understanding of how to use in higher assurance applications.
• Understanding of spacecraft system and subsystem functions, interfaces, and communication protocols (i.e. serial, 1553, Ethernet, gimbals, thrusters, gyros, etc.).
• Demonstrated experience debugging and identifying root cause at the hardware / software boundary.
• Experience utilizing hardware testbeds and lab environments for software and system verification.

Special Mentions

Travel expected up to 10% of the time

Compensation range for onsite CO applicants is $157,053-$219,875

Compensation range for onsite WA applicants is $170,805-$239,127

Other site ranges may differ

Inclusivity 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 a diverse, inclusive, and 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.

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.

Paid Time Off : Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

Discretionary bonus : Bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.

Eligibility for benefits varies by role type, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role.

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, diverse, 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, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members.

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, gender, 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 EEO Is the Law, please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and / or interview process, please contact us at .

California Applicant Privacy Notice

If you are a California resident, please reference the CA Applicant Privacy Notice here.