Blue Origin

Satellite Flight Software Engineer II - TeraWave

Blue Origin$134K — $188K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field
  • 3-5 years of experience in spacecraft flight software or embedded software development
  • Strong programming skills in C, C++, and Python
  • Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) such as Linux, QNX, or VxWorks
  • Experience developing software for spacecraft subsystems such as thermal or propulsion
  • Experience with software unit testing frameworks for embedded environments
  • Familiarity with communication protocols like TCP/IP, UDP, and I2C

Responsibilities

  • Design, develop, and implement flight software for satellite subsystems
  • Develop closed-loop control software for spacecraft
  • Create and maintain software interfaces between subsystems
  • Collaborate with engineers to define software requirements
  • Develop and integrate simulation environments for testing flight software
  • Participate in software integration and validation testing
  • Support on-orbit operations and troubleshoot deployed spacecraft

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Paid parental leave and short/long-term disability
  • 401(k) with company match up to 5%
  • Stock options for regular employees
  • Up to four weeks of paid time off and 14 company-paid holidays
Full Job Description
Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

Job Description:

This position is part of Blue Origin's TeraWave business unit, a newly announced satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. TeraWave consists of 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations.

We are seeking a Satellite Flight Software Engineer III to design, develop, and verify applications for TeraWave's satellite flight software subsystem. This role will be instrumental in building robust, scalable flight software to support the expansion of TeraWave into a 5,408-vehicle constellation. The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineer with experience developing reliable, mission-critical software for onboard spacecraft systems such as propulsion, power, RF communications, payload interfaces, and other vehicle subsystems.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Design, develop, and implement flight software for TeraWave satellite bus subsystems including thermal control, power management, and propulsion control components
  • Develop and implement closed-loop control software for spacecraft subsystems, including control algorithms supporting thermal regulation, power distribution, and propulsion management
  • Create and maintain software interfaces between spacecraft subsystems to support safe and integrated vehicle operations
  • Collaborate with hardware, systems, and autonomy engineers to define software requirements, interfaces, and behavioral boundaries across subsystems
  • Develop and integrate simulation environments and models to test FSW across a range of nominal and off-nominal operational scenarios
  • Support software architecture, design reviews, and systems engineering trade studies
  • Participate in software integration, verification, and validation testing including software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments
  • Support on-orbit operations and troubleshooting of deployed spacecraft
  • Mentor junior engineers and contribute to team technical development


Minimum Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field
  • 3-5 years of experience in spacecraft flight software or embedded software development
  • Strong programming skills in C, C++, and Python
  • Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) such as Linux, QNX, VxWorks, RTEMS or equivalent
  • Experience developing software for one or more spacecraft subsystems such as thermal, power, or propulsion
  • Experience with software unit testing frameworks such as Google Test or equivalent for embedded C/C++ environments
  • Experience with inter-process communication (IPC) mechanisms including sockets, shared memory, message queues, or publish-subscribe middleware
  • Experience with cross-compilation toolchains and embedded Linux build systems such as CMake, Make, Yocto, or Buildroot
  • Experience with software lifecycle, configuration management (Git), CI/CD, and verification/validation practices for mission-critical embedded software systems
  • Familiarity with communication protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP, CAN, I2C, SPI, and RS-422/485
  • Familiarity with static analysis tools and flight software coding standards such as MISRA C/C++


Preferred Qualifications:
  • Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
  • Experience with on-orbit spacecraft operations or satellite constellation management
  • Experience with over-the-air (OTA) software updates
  • Experience developing flight software for fault-tolerant or redundant avionics architectures, such as dual-string or voting-based system designs
  • Familiarity with NASA cFS, F Prime, or similar flight software frameworks
  • Familiarity with spacecraft FDIR and autonomy software components and their interfaces
  • Understanding of radiation effects on electronics and software-based mitigation techniques


Base Pay Range for:
CO applicants is $123,714.00 - $173,199.60WA applicants is $134,961.00 - $188,945.40

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

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