Mission Planning Engineer III – Blue Ring

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We are 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 focuses on addressing space infrastructure and increasing mobility on‑orbit. With Blue Ring, our customers are empowered to go anywhere in cislunar or Earth orbit domains, redefine mission flexibility, and pursue bold new concepts.

As a Mission Planning Engineer, you will lead the development of mission planning processes, products, and operational workflows across the Blue Ring program. You are the critical bridge spanning the full mission planning chain — from system‑level requirements and mission design, through concept of operations development, down to the command sequences, procedures, and plays that operations teams execute.

• Based at our Seattle, WA area offices. Relocation provided.

• Design and own end‑to‑end mission planning process from mission design through operational execution.
• Establish constraint frameworks that govern how activities are scheduled, sequenced, and validated across all Blue Ring missions.
• Translate system‑level requirements, mission design outputs (trajectory plans, spacecraft models, Con Ops), and mission objectives into actionable planning requirements.
• Define command sequence structure, procedure formats, and play architectures that align with the mission planning process and enable development of executable operational products.
• Ensure mission planners have clear, validated activity templates, planning tools, and operational processes to execute planning cycles during mission operations.
• Partner with mission planning software architects and developers to define operational requirements, and design, validate, and integrate mission‑unique activity templates and command sequences into planning tools.
• Lead development of mission planning ops products, including activity templates, constraint definitions, planning procedures, and timeline products.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of mission planning tools and automation capabilities.
• Support test activities and rehearsals as the mission planning technical lead, ensuring planning products are verified and validated through simulation, rehearsal, and review processes.
• Mentor and guide junior mission planning engineers and operations team mission planners on planning processes and best practices.
• Support real‑time mission operations as an on‑console mission planner during launch and early orbit phase and other critical mission events as needed.
• Represent mission planning in cross‑functional forums and design reviews.

• Active US Government Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance.
• Minimum of a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in spacecraft mission operations, mission planning, flight dynamics, or flight operations.
• Demonstrated experience designing or significantly contributing to new mission planning processes, tools, or systems.
• Experience developing command sequences, operational procedures, or activity timelines for spacecraft operations.
• Strong understanding of spacecraft subsystems and how they constrain operational planning (power, thermal, data, comms availability, attitude).
• Software development experience in Python or equivalent programming language.
• Experience working across organizational boundaries to integrate engineering outputs into operational products.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast‑paced, dynamic work environment with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Strong communication and coordination skills for interfacing with customers, engineering teams, and operations personnel.
• Ability to earn trust, build positive professional relationships and collaborate with individuals of broad backgrounds to achieve mission success.

• M.S. in…