Deep Space Ground Navigation Engineer III

Blue Origin · Denver · $130,706–$182,988 (stated in the posting)

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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's In-Space Systems business unit operates spacecraft across some of the most demanding regimes in spaceflight, from geostationary orbit to cislunar space and interplanetary destinations. Blue Ring, our multi-mission space vehicle, is expanding where we fly and what our navigation systems must do.

This role is part of Blue National Security (BNS), where our focus is the design, development, and delivery of launch and spacecraft systems for national security missions. Through Blue Ring, our all-in-one, high-powered hybrid solar-electric and chemical-propelled spacecraft, we provide unmatched mission maneuverability, versatility, and capacity at dramatically lower-profile costs.

You'll join the Astrodynamics and Trajectory Execution (ATX) team, which is responsible for end-to-end trajectory design and ground navigation within In-Space Systems. We are growing ATX to navigate missions to the Moon and Mars using high-thrust and electric propulsion, and to build an operational deep-space navigation capability from the ground up. In this hands-on role, you will independently own significant portions of the navigation process for an entire mission, spanning analysis, software development, and live flight operations, helping shape how our team navigates for years to come.

Your Impact:

• Own Lifecycle Navigation: Drive navigation through requirements definition, pre-launch orbit determination and covariance analysis, gated reviews, mission rehearsals, and flight operations. Author navigation plans, analysis reports, and operations procedures.

• Perform Orbit Determination: Define filter strategies, estimated parameters, and tracking data requirements. Process Doppler, range, and Delta-DOR data to generate orbit solutions for cislunar and interplanetary spacecraft, accounting for long light times, solar conjunction, and planetary gravity and atmosphere modeling. Communicate solution quality, uncertainty, and risk to mission leadership.

• Fly Deep Space Missions: Perform live navigation operations through launch, cruise (including low-thrust phases), trajectory correction maneuvers, planetary approach, and orbit insertion, making solution-acceptance and maneuver-readiness recommendations under real-time constraints. Partner with ATX trajectory designers on maneuver design inputs, delivery accuracy, and maneuver reconstruction and calibration.

• Develop Operational Navigation Software: Develop and test navigation algorithms and data processing tools in Python, Julia, C++, and Monte. Partner with the flight dynamics software architect to infuse them into ATX's Monte-based flight dynamics system.

• Build and Validate Models: Define model-fidelity requirements, and develop and validate force models (gravity fields, solar radiation pressure, atmospheric drag, and third-body effects), measurement models, and simulation tools for high-fidelity navigation analysis.

• Drive Automation: Automate orbit determination, tracking data processing, and navigation product workflows as ATX scales toward fleet-level operations, including through generative AI.

• Collaborate and Grow the Team: Work with ATX, flight operations, systems engineering, and external tracking-network partners. Represent navigation in reviews, and mentor junior navigators.

• Deliver with Agile Discipline: Scope, estimate, and plan work in deliverable increments, using tools such as Jira and git.

Minimum Qualifications:

• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with 5+ years of relevant experience, or a Ph.D. with 3+ years of relevant experience.

• Strong working knowledge of astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, and statistical orbit determination and estimation theory, including batch least squares, sequential filtering, and covariance analysis.

• Demonstrated experience performing radiometric orbit determination using Doppler and range measurements, including modeling, reconstructing, and calibrating high-thrust maneuvers.

• Proficiency in at least one of Python, Julia, or C++, with experience developing and testing analysis or operational software.

• Applied experience with orbit determination tools such as Monte, STK/ODTK, FreeFlyer, or GMAT.

• Experience supporting spacecraft mission operations, mission rehearsals, or comparable time-critical operational environments.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently, scope ambiguous technical problems, and deliver results with minimal oversight.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including presenting technical results in design reviews and authoring technical documentation.

• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion.

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience navigating spacecraft in cislunar or interplanetary environments, including interfacing with the Deep Space Network.

• Experience navigating spacecraft with electric propulsion, including modeling and estimating continuous low-thrust accelerations.

• Applied orbit determination experience in the Monte toolkit, including infusing algorithms into operational flight dynamics software.

• Experience processing real flight tracking data, including Doppler, range, or Delta-DOR measurements.

• Experience developing or validating dynamical and measurement models for high-fidelity orbit determination.

• End-to-end mission lifecycle experience (SRR, PDR, CDR, ORR, rehearsals), including live navigation operations during mission-critical events, ideally on a deep-space mission.

• Experience owning a navigation product for a mission phase, such as an orbit determination setup, navigation plan, or operations procedure.

• Experience mentoring engineers and communicating effectively across a distributed team.

• Experience with DevOps practices and tooling, including configuration control, CI/CD, code review, Jira, git, Docker, Terraform, and Ansible.

• Experience using generative AI tools to expedite and automate your workflow.

• Current TS/SCI clearance with polygraph, or willingness to obtain and maintain one. This role is tailored for deep-space navigation primarily supporting civil missions in Mars and cislunar space, but candidates with clearance may have opportunities to contribute across the full range of ATX mission work long-term.

Base Pay Range for:

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, 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.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on “Know Your Rights,” please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us at EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.

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