Sr. Mechanisms Design Engineer - TeraWave Job Seattle area,Washington USA,Engineering

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 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 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.

The Emerging Systems business unit at 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

Tbpsanywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and 128 satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.

Blue Origin's Emerging Systems is seeking an exceptional Engineer to provide technical leadership in opto-mechanical design for ourTeraWaveconstellation. In this role, you will focus on developing critical optical systems including telescopes and gimbal assemblies whileprovidingtechnical guidance on avionics enclosures and optical ground stations.

Special Mentions:

Relocationassistanceis available for qualified candidates.

Travel expectations:
Up to 20% travel may berequiredfor integration activities, launch campaigns, and customer/vendor meetings.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Lead the architectural design and development of precision gimbal assemblies and pointing mechanisms for space-based optical communications terminals
Define and own mechanism-level performance requirements, error budgets, and design margins across structural, thermal, and dynamic domains
Drive design trades for gimbal configurations balancing mass, volume, stiffness, pointing accuracy, and on-orbit lifetime
Lead mechanism qualification programs including component-level and system-level testing inshock,vibration, thermal vacuum environments
Develop and maintain mechanism design standards, analysis workflows, and documentation to support incremental hardware build and test.
Provide technical guidance to engineering teams on mechanism integration, harness routing, and interface control
Mentor junior and mid-level mechanical engineers in mechanisms design principles, analysis methods, and space qualification practices
Support production transition through design-for-manufacturability improvements, tolerance analysis, and supplier development

Examples of additional areas where you may contribute include:

Motor and encoder selection for precision drive systems
Bearing selection, preload analysis, and lubrication strategies for space mechanisms
Mechanism-level FMEA and reliability analysis

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field
8+ years of experience in precision mechanisms design for space or aerospace applications
Demonstrated experience designing, analyzing, manufacturing, and qualifying gimbal assemblies or multi-axis pointing mechanisms for space environments
Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g.,Creo, NX, Solid Works) and finite element analysis tools (e.g., ANSYS, NASTRAN,Comsol)
Experience with mechanism kinematics, dynamics, and structural analysis
Knowledge of space qualification testing including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, and life testing
Experience with bearing systems,drive trains, and precision actuators for space mechanisms
Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and interface control documentation
Knowledge of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
Experience with optical communications terminals orlasercompointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) systems
Background in fast steering mirror systems and fine pointing mechanism design
Experience with lubrication and tribology for space…