Principal Electrical Engineer, Mixed-Signal & Compute Systems; OISL Payload; TeraWave

Position: Principal Electrical Engineer, Mixed-Signal & Compute Systems (OISL Payload) - TeraWave
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 connectivity with Tera Wave, a revolutionary 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 Role We are seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to join the Tera Wave team at Blue Origin. In this role, you will serve as the technical authority for the mixed-signal and compute electronics that drive the optical inter-satellite link (OISL) payload. You will own the architecture, design, analysis, and verification of hardware that combines low-voltage precision analog circuitry with high-performance digital compute, controls precision opto-mechanical assemblies, interfaces with the spacecraft bus GNC and SDN systems, and executes automated space CONOPS that form an OISL mesh network.

As a Principal Engineer, you will set technical direction across the OISL electronics, mentor and guide other engineers, and influence hardware, software, and systems architecture across the constellation. You will work within a multidisciplinary team to develop robust, flight-qualified electronics that meet demanding performance, mass, reliability, and environmental requirements. This position reports directly to the Tera Wave Avionics Senior Manager and will directly contribute to the design and delivery of flight hardware.

Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited ToServe as the technical lead and subject matter expert for OISL payload electronics, defining architecture, requirements, trade studies, and design standards from concept through flight qualification and production

Lead the architecture and design of mixed-signal electronics for the OISL payload, including precision analog front ends, data conversion, and digital control

Design low-noise, low-voltage analog circuits (e.g., photodetector/TIA front ends, sensor conditioning, ADC/DAC chains, precision references, and actuator drive electronics) for pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) of optical terminals

Architect and integrate compute subsystems using FPGAs, SoCs, and processors with high-speed interfaces such as PCIe and DDR4/DDR5, including memory topology, termination, and timing closure

Direct signal integrity and power integrity analysis for high-speed interfaces, including channel modeling, impedance control, stack-up definition, and PDN analysis

Develop control and drive electronics for precision opto-mechanical assemblies (e.g., fast steering mirrors, gimbals, and focus/alignment mechanisms), including position sensing, closed-loop interfaces, and fault handling

Define and own electrical and data interfaces to the spacecraft bus, including GNC and SDN systems, and lead ICD development and integration testing

Guide development of flight software/firmware and FPGA logic that execute automated CONOPS for link acquisition, handover, and mesh network operation, working closely with software and systems teams

Drive electrical and system-level performance trades for OISL link budget contributors, including pointing jitter, acquisition time, timing/clock performance, and noise

Support power architecture for the payload electronics, including point-of-load…