Blue Origin

Solar Array Responsible Engineer - TeraWave

Blue Origin$144K — $201K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. in Mechanical, Electrical, Material Science, Physics, Aerospace Engineering or related areas
  • 5+ years of experience in solar panel development; 3+ years in space applications preferred
  • Experience across the full product development lifecycle from concept to release
  • Expertise in designing and testing space-grade panels
  • Knowledge of space environment effects on solar panels
  • Experience with high-voltage spacecraft design (>50V)

Responsibilities

  • Lead design and development of space-grade photovoltaic assemblies
  • Serve as technical lead across cross-discipline engineering teams
  • Drive new product development from requirements to production readiness
  • Conduct internal design reviews and collaborate with suppliers and customers
  • Communicate development status and risks to management
  • Track and report key performance metrics against vehicle requirements
  • Support component-level test programs and troubleshooting for vehicle integration

Benefits

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

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 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.

As the Solar Array Responsible Engineer, you will drive the development of Solar Panels for Blue Origin's TeraWave satellites in a key technical leadership role. You will participate in the full product life cycle from early concepts to prototypes to qualified and deployed flight hardware. The ideal candidate has the ability to work across electrical, mechanical, thermal, optical, and manufacturing domains to seamlessly integrate Solar Panels with multiple vehicle subsystems. Your leadership and technical contributions will enable flight of state-of-the-art aerospace vehicles and missions.

We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, experience, enthusiasm, and dedication to quality to support TeraWave's mission. Passion for our mission and vision is required!

Special Mentions
  • Travel: Ability to travel and/or temporary duty in support of growing tempos of production and operations. About 15-20% travel is expected between base location and TeraWave manufacturing facilities in Texas and Florida.


Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Lead design and development of space-grade photovoltaic assemblies from concept through flight-qualified hardware
  • Serve as technical lead, responsible for planning and coordinating the efforts of cross-discipline engineers (mechanical, electrical, systems, M&P)
  • Drive new product development from requirements definition through production readiness for modular and scalable products
  • Lead internal design reviews and participate in reviews with suppliers and customers; support design for test/manufacture/cost (DFx)
  • Effectively communicate development status, risks, and challenges to management
  • Analyze, track, and report key performance metrics contextualized against vehicle requirements
  • Support the development and execution of component-level test programs, including characterization, risk reduction, qualification, and integrated vehicle-level testing
  • Routinely collaborate with manufacturing operations, supply chain, and other teams within the company to ensure smooth execution
  • Serve as the subject matter expert for integration into the vehicle and assist in troubleshooting and vehicle integration.
  • Experience with high-voltage solar array designs and high-voltage/dual-voltage power bus architectures.
  • Travel: Ability to travel and/or temporary duty in support of growing tempos of production and operations. About 15-20% travel is expected between base location and TeraWave manufacturing facilities in Texas and Florida.

Minimum Qualifications
  • B.S. in Mechanical, Electrical, Material Science, Physics, Aerospace Engineering or related areas of study
  • 5+ years of direct experience in solar panel development (or similarly constructed products); 3+ year in space applications desired
  • Experience across the full product development lifecycle, including concept definition, architecture, requirements capture and development, implementation, verification, system integration, qualification, and release
  • Demonstrated experience designing, specifying, procuring, and testing of space grade panels and adhesives
  • Familiarity with photovoltaic cells, design/construction of solar panels, and associated test methods (such as AIAA S-112)
  • Knowledge of space environment effects on solar panels, such as vacuum, radiation, UV, temperature cycling
  • Experience with high-voltage (>50V) spacecraft design


Preferred Qualifications
  • Advanced graduate degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Material Science, Physics, Aerospace Engineering or related areas of study
  • 8+ years of direct experience in solar panel development (or similarly constructed products); 5+ year in space applications desired
  • Demonstrated experience with solar panel standards such as AIAA S-112
  • Subject-matter expertise (SME) to drive solar array architecture trade studies, performance characterization, and component selection
  • Proficiency with common engineering design and simulation software (e.g. CREO, ANSYS, MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, STK)
  • Desire to work hands-on, both independently and as part of a team, throughout the development and production phases
  • Self-starting who thrives in a fast-paced new product development environment
  • Ability to earn trust and maintain positive and professional relationships
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills


Base Pay Range for:
CA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45CO applicants is $144,179.00 - $201,849.90WA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don't meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check
  • Required for all positions: Blue's Standard Background Check
  • Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
  • Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing (CDL drivers only), vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
  • Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical


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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