Director - TeraWave Ground Infrastucture

About this role

Application close date: Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed. 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 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.

We are seeking a visionary and execution-driven   Director of TeraWave Ground Infrastructure   to lead the end-to-end design, deployment, and operational scaling of our high-capacity terrestrial and ground networking architecture. In this executive-level role, you will own the physical and logical fabric connecting our next-generation satellite constellation to the global internet, operating entirely at the intersection of carrier-grade networking, high-speed packet processing, and global data center/PoP deployments.  

Rather than traditional RF or satellite communications engineering, this role demands deep expertise in large-scale IP routing, backbone transport, rack-level hardware architecture, and custom/off-the-shelf packet processing systems. You will architect the routers, switches, top-of-rack (ToR) gear, transit partnerships, and peering strategies that power our gateways, Point of Presence (PoP) locations, and Satellite Operations (SatOps) infrastructure.  

Key Responsibilities  

Core Network Architecture & IP Routing  

• Lead the technical strategy for designing and scaling the TeraWave global IP/MPLS backbone, bridging gateway locations, core PoPs, and SatOps facilities.  

• Own advanced router and switch configurations, interior/exterior routing protocols ( BGP, OSPF, IS-IS ), and traffic engineering policies to optimize latency and throughput.  

• Architect robust, highly available networking connectivity, diverse routing loops, and automated failover/redundancy strategies to guarantee continuous 99.999% uptime for mission-critical PoPs and SatOps.  

Hardware Architecture, Racks & Packet Processing  

• Drive the end-to-end design and physical deployment of hardware rack elevations, including power distribution (AC/DC), thermal management, cabling standards, and top-of-rack (ToR) switch integration.  

• Specify, evaluate, and deploy high-performance commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) routers/switches alongside custom or specialized high-throughput packet processing hardware.  

• Partner with silicon and hardware acceleration teams to integrate high-speed packet inspection, encapsulation, and traffic shaping platforms directly into the ground infrastructure.  

IP Transit Partnerships, Peering & IXP Expansion  

• Spearhead the global transit strategy by negotiating tier-1 IP transit partnerships, dark fiber leases, and high-capacity transport circuits.  

• Scale our global footprint by deploying Points of Presence (PoPs) within major Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) and carrier-neutral data centers worldwide, establishing direct peering policies to minimize user latency and optimize cost-per-bit.  

Gateway Site & Data Center Deployment  

• Own the physical site selection, real estate acquisition, and civil/facility engineering lifecycle for gateway earth station data centers and SatOps facilities.  

• Direct multi-disciplinary teams through the physical build-out of technical spaces, managing vendor relationships, colocation agreements, and enterprise-scale hardware procurement cycles globally.  

• Drive country-specific regulatory compliance, telecommunications licensing, and cross-border legal approvals required for international site deployments.  

Leadership & Operational Excellence  

• Build, mentor, and scale high-performing global engineering and field deployment teams spanning network architecture, systems engineering, and data center operations.  

• Establish automated telemetry, monitoring frameworks, and NetOps tooling to proactively manage circuit health, packet loss, and hardware performance across all global sites.  

Minimum Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree   in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related technical discipline (Master’s or MBA preferred).  

• 12+ years   of progressive experience designing, building, and operating large-scale service provider, hyperscale cloud, or telecommunications network infrastructure (comparable to environments at SpaceX/Starlink, Amazon LEO/Kuiper, or major tier-1 ISPs/cloud providers).  

• Deep networking and routing background   (equivalent to advanced Cisco   CCNP/CCIE   or   Network Design Engineer (NDE)   expertise), with extensive hands-on command-line experience configuring enterprise routers, switches, and routing policies.  

• Proven expertise in architecting physical rack layouts, top-of-rack (ToR) switching, and integrating high-performance off-the-shelf (COTS) or custom packet processing hardware.  

• Extensive hands-on experience managing backbone networks, IP transit agreements, BGP routing, and direct peering at major IXPs.  

• Proven track record of navigating international site acquisition, data center colocation, facility power/cooling design, and cross-border telecom compliance.  

• Experience managing massive capital expenditure (CapEx) budgets and cross-functional global engineering teams.  

Preferred Qualifications  

• Cisco CCIE   certification or equivalent industry-recognized advanced routing/switching credential.  

• Direct experience integrating high-speed programmable packet processors (e.g.

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