Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.
As a Mission Planning Engineer, you will be responsible for leading 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. You will translate top-level mission objectives and constraints into structured planning frameworks, ensure those frameworks drive the development of executable operational products, and provide the mission planners who execute operations with the processes, templates, and tools they need to succeed. Your expertise in mission planning, orbital mechanics, spacecraft operations, and software development will be essential in standing up a world-class mission planning capability for complex, multi-mission operations.
Join us in enabling Blue Origin's vision of millions of people living and working in space to benefit earth - passion for our mission is required!
Special Mentions:- Based at our Seattle, WA area offices. Relocation provided.
Responsibilities:- Design and own end-to-end mission planning process from mission design through operational execution, including planning cycle workflows, activity request intake, deconfliction, resource allocation, and timeline generation.
- 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, ConOps), 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.
Qualifications: - 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
Desired: - M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
- Experience with multi-mission or constellation operations planning
- Experience leading or coordinating test exercises, rehearsals, or operational readiness activities
- Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approaches and how they feed operational planning
- Experience with ground system command and control architectures
- Experience with hosted or separable payload mission planning and operations
- Knowledge of electric propulsion systems and low-thrust trajectory planning
- Experience applying AI/ML techniques to engineering workflows, such as building or integrating intelligent automation, optimization models, or data-driven decision support tools
Compensation Range for:
CO applicants is $119,814.00 - $167,738.55WA applicants is $130,706.00 - $182,987.70
Other site ranges may differBenefits- Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
- Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
- Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
- Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.
