Senior Optical Systems Design Engineer - Optical Ground Terminals - TeraWave

Overview

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!

This role is part of Tera Wave, a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This network will service tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations.

The Emerging Systems business unit at Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with Tera Wave, 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 5,408 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 Lead Optical Systems Architect to join our Optical Ground Terminal team. You will shape the future of laser communication systems from concept through operational activities. This role encompasses the comprehensive development of the product line, from initial prototyping to production, ensuring technical rigor and operational success. Your leadership will set the standard for new capabilities and a growing range of customer missions.

Special Mentions:

• Relocation assistance may be available for this position
• Travel expectations:
  Up to 20% travel may be required for field testing, customer meetings, and technical reviews

• Optical System Architecture & Design

• Lead the architectural design and technical direction for ground optical communications systems incorporating:

• Large telescope and gimbal assemblies, including telescope arrays

• High-power and low-noise optical fiber amplifiers

• Pointing, acquisition, and tracking systems

• Adaptive optics systems

• Conduct trade studies between different optical architectures and configurations

• Lead optical system modeling, analysis, and performance simulation including tolerance and stray light analysis

• Collaborate with team members regarding the end-to-end characterization, modeling, and mitigation of atmospheric turbulence for high-bandwidth laser communication systems, from system architecture and algorithm development to integration and field testing

• Contribute to technology roadmap planning and provide technical oversight for subsystem development and integration
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software, and thermal engineers on interdisciplinary design challenges
• Develop system requirements, specifications, performance budgets, error budgets, and interface control documents that balance performance, cost, and schedule
• Develop Con Ops, calibration/alignment procedures and commissioning plans
• Play a meaningful role in design for assembly and manufacturability
• Collaborate to develop automation strategies for optical system alignment, calibration, and operational procedures

• MS or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field
• 10+ years of experience in optical systems engineering with progressive responsibilities
• Demonstrated expertise in free-space optical communication ground systems
• Proficiency with optical system design tools (Zemax, Code V, etc.)
• Experience with large-aperture telescope systems and pointing requirements
• Advanced knowledge of mode-matching techniques and optimization of free-space to/from single-mode fiber coupling efficiency
• Previous experience in adaptive optics, wavefront sensing, and wavefront correction techniques
• Knowledgeable regarding atmospheric absorption and scattering impacts on optical space-to-ground and ground-to-space links
• Familiarity with fiber optic coupling challenges and solutions
• Previous experience with infrared cameras and sensors for tracking
• Experience developing or managing integrated performance of optical systems including understanding of optical loss and throughput budgets, wavefront error, STOP analysis, and precision pointing
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams

• 15+ years of experience in optical systems engineering with progressive leadership responsibility
• Previous work with space-to-ground optical communications links
• Proven track record as a lead engineer on similar programs
• Experience with at least one additional industry-standard mechanical CAD platform (Solid Works, CREO, etc.)
• Experience with atmospheric optical turbulence theory and compensation
• Proven expertise in atmospheric optics and hands-on experience implementing adaptive optics (AO) control systems to correct for turbulence
• Experience taking a complete…