Blue Origin

Principal Ground Systems Architecture and Site Selection - New Glenn

Blue Origin$160K — $237K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. degree in engineering or technical field.
  • Familiarity with export control regulations (EAR/ITAR).
  • 10+ years of experience in aerospace/defense or regulated industries.
  • Experience with the development lifecycle and transition to operations.
  • Strong communication skills with diverse stakeholders.
  • Excellent technical writing and presentation abilities.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

  • Understand customer requirements and represent them in architectural trades.
  • Oversee concept development for integrating upgrades into infrastructure.
  • Identify and lead trade studies for defining system architecture.
  • Collaborate on developing CONOPS for launch processing and operations.
  • Provide systems engineering expertise for mission and operational interfaces.
  • Assist with requirements for engineering models and testing equipment.
  • Ensure human considerations are integrated into systems design.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Paid parental leave and disability coverage.
  • 401(k) with a 5% company match.
  • Stock options available for regular employees.
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four weeks plus 14 holidays.
  • Education Support Program for professional development.
Full Job Description
Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

This role supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable.

As part of a small, passionate, and accomplished team of experts, you will work to develop and integrate New Glenn launch system ground systems as part of the New Glenn Launch System Architecture team. As a member of the Launch System Architecture team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping how our launch vehicle, ground systems, and mission operations come together as a single, integrated system. Rather than focusing on the detailed design of any one subsystem, you'll work at the intersection of disciplines-propulsion, avionics, structures, and ground systems-translating high-level mission needs into a coherent technical vision that guides teams across the program. You'll lead trade studies that shape foundational decisions, such as launch pad site selection, ground systems architecture, and how vehicle and pad infrastructure interfaces are best configured to support operational cadence and reliability, and you'll ensure that as those decisions ripple outward, the interfaces between systems remain compatible and well-defined. When new requirements emerge or technologies evolve, you'll be the one asking how these changes affect the bigger picture, working to safeguard the architecture's long-term scalability and reliability while resolving the inevitable conflicts that arise when many teams are building toward the same goal. It's a role built for someone who thinks in systems, communicates across boundaries, and finds genuine satisfaction in making sure all the pieces fit together-not just today, but as the program grows and evolves. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who will work with various elements of the New Glenn program to understand their needs and architect solutions that meet these needs with new and existing infrastructure.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Understand customer requirements and preferred solutions in order to represent the customer for architectural trades.
  • Oversee concept development and feasibility studies for solutions that integrate emergent upgrades/ programs into existing or new infrastructure.
  • Identify and lead trade studies used to define overall architecture and flight/ground interfaces.
  • Work hand in hand with emerging programs to develop CONOPS for New Glenn launch processing and launch and mission operations.
  • Provide systems engineering and integration expertise to New Glenn elements seeking launch capability by defining and developing mission, organizational, physical, functional, signal, hardware/software, and operational interfaces.
  • Provide assistance with the requirements for engineering models, simulations, test beds, and special test equipment for all organizations involved with system testing.
  • Ensure the systems are designed with human considerations for all processes.


Minimum Qualifications:
  • Minimum of a B.S. degree in engineering or another technical field
  • Familiarity with export control (EAR/ITAR) regulations.
  • 10+ years of experience developing complex, large scale operational systems in aerospace / defense or other highly regulated industries.
  • Experience across development lifecycle including transition to operations.
  • Proven ability to communicate effectively both in writing and verbally with staff at all levels of the organization and external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, customers, and suppliers.
  • Excellent technical writing and presentation skills.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).


Preferred Qualifications:
  • Launch Site or Ground Support Equipment design experience/familiarity
  • Experience with integrated systems (fluids, structures, mechanisms, communications, electrical, etc.)
  • Able to develop 3D concept models and 2D plans
  • Able to develop a deliverables' schedule based on available information, resource availability, and customer needs
  • Able to develop ROM cost and schedule estimates to bring concepts to fruition


Base Pay Range for:
CO applicants is $160,618.00 - $224,864.85WA applicants is $169,624.00 - $237,473.25

Other site ranges may differ

Benefits
  • 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.


About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is an aerospace company that develops rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company's products include the New Shepard suborbital vehicle and the New Glenn orbital rocket. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Learn more about Blue Origin
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Blue Origin

More Aerospace & Defense Jobs

Find similar Principal Ground Systems Architecture and Site Selection - New Glenn jobs: