Mission Design Engineer II - Blue Ring

Shape the Future of Space Mobility Through Advanced Trajectory Design

Blue Origin, and particularly the In-Space Business Unit, is pushing the boundaries of space mobility with missions spanning geostationary, cislunar, and heliocentric regimes. Our spacecraft must execute complex maneuvers using broad propulsion systems—from high-thrust chemical to efficient electric propulsion—while navigating via GPS, radiometric tracking, and other advanced methods.

As a Mission Design Engineer in the Astrodynamics and Trajectory eXecution team (ATX), you will help develop groundbreaking trajectory design and optimization algorithms, particularly in the area of Monte Carlo maneuver analysis.

This role combines cutting-edge research with real-world application—your trajectory designs will actual spacecraft to destinations across the solar system. We're looking for someone passionate about pushing the technical envelope in trajectory design.

Your Primary Impact:

• Pioneer Monte Carlo Maneuver Analysis Algorithms : Expand the scope and capability of our AWS-powered Monte Carlo maneuver analysis algorithm for Blue Ring.

• Enable Mission Success : In addition to development of our Monte Carlo algorithm, perform the resulting analysis to ensure robust mission performance across various operational scenarios.

• Perform Live Mission Operations : Design and execute high-thrust and low-thrust maneuvers during flight operations with real-time decision making.

• Build Next-Generation Tools : Contribute to maneuver design software in Python, Julia, and the Monte toolkit.

Additional Impact:

• Mission Design Algorithm Innovation : Develop and validate cutting-edge high-thrust and low-thrust trajectory design algorithms for many-revolution transfer trajectories, cislunar transfers, and station-keeping.

• Shape Mission Architecture : Support conceptual studies and proposals that define the future of space exploration.

• Collaborate Across Disciplines : Work closely with navigation teams on operational readiness and system integration.

• Deliver Excellence : Present results and support critical design reviews using Agile development methodologies.

Minimum Qualifications:

• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related fields.

• 2+ years of proven experience focused on satellite mission design.

• Strong fundamentals in astrodynamics, high-thrust trajectory optimization, and low-thrust trajectory optimization.

• Applied experience in navigation tools such as Monte, STK/ODTK, Free Flyer, Copernicus, or GMAT.

• Experience in at least one of the following languages:
  Python, Julia, or C++.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields.

• Experience performing spacecraft maneuvering in flight operations.

• Experience using the Monte software package.

• Experience with electric propulsion satellite missions.

• Experience in developing flight dynamics software.

• Understanding of how to formulate the solution to indirect and direct optimal control algorithms.

• Demonstrated knowledge of the mission design lifecycle from conceptualization through operational flight.

• Experience working on and effectively communicating with a distributed team.

• Experience with Dev Ops processes including configuration control, continuous development and deployment workflows, Agile methodologies, software code review.

• Previous experience with software development tooling such as Jira, git, Jenkins, Docker and at least one IDE.

• Recognized expert in the community through conference and/or peer reviewed articles.

• Active or ability to acquire Active Top Secret (TS) / Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance with Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) with polygraph preferred.

Compensation Range for:

CA applicants is $-$; CO applicants is $95,348.00-$; WA applicants is $-$. 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…