Senior Mission Planning Engineer - TeraWave

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.

As a Senior Mission Planning Engineer, you will be responsible for architecting and leading the development of mission planning processes, products, and operational workflows across the TeraWave program. You are the critical bridge spanning the full mission planning chain — from system-level requirements and mission design, through concept of operations development, down to the command sequences, procedures, and plays that operations teams execute. You will translate top-level mission objectives and constraints into structured planning frameworks, ensure those frameworks drive the development of executable operational products, and provide the mission planners who execute operations with the processes, templates, and tools they need to succeed. Your expertise in mission planning, orbital mechanics, spacecraft operations, and software development will be essential in standing up a world-class mission planning capability for TeraWave.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Design and own the end-to-end mission planning process from mission design through operational execution, including planning cycle workflows, activity request intake, deconfliction, resource allocation, and timeline generation. • Establish constraint frameworks that govern how activities are scheduled, sequenced, and validated. • Translate system-level requirements, mission design outputs (trajectory plans, spacecraft models, ConOps), and mission objectives into actionable planning requirements. • Define command sequence structure, procedure formats, and play architectures that align with the mission planning process and enable development of executable operational products. • Ensure mission planners have clear, validated activity templates, planning tools, and operational processes to execute planning cycles during mission operations. • Partner with mission planning software architects and developers to define operational requirements, and design, validate, and integrate mission-unique activity templates and command sequences into planning tools. • Lead development of mission planning ops products, including activity templates, constraint definitions, planning procedures, and timeline products. • Contribute to the development and maintenance of mission planning tools and automation capabilities. • Support test activities and rehearsals as the mission planning technical lead, ensuring planning products are verified and validated through simulation, rehearsal, and review processes. • Mentor and guide junior mission planning engineers and operations team mission planners on planning processes and best practices. • Support real-time mission operations as an on-console mission planner during launch and early orbit phase and other critical mission events as needed. • Represent mission planning in cross-functional forums and design reviews.

Minimum Qualifications • Minimum of a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field • 8+ years of experience in spacecraft mission operations, mission planning, flight dynamics, or flight operations • Demonstrated experience designing or significantly contributing to new mission planning processes, tools, or systems • Experience developing command sequences, operational procedures, or activity timelines for spacecraft operations • Strong understanding of spacecraft subsystems and how they constrain operational planning (power, thermal, data, comms availability, attitude) • Software development experience in Python or equivalent programming language • Experience working across organizational boundaries to integrate engineering outputs into operational products

Preferred Qualifications • M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related field • Experience with multi-mission or constellation operations planning • Experience leading or coordinating test exercises, rehearsals, or operational readiness activities • Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approaches and how they feed operational planning • Experience with ground system command and control architectures • Knowledge of electric propulsion systems and low-thrust trajectory planning • Experience applying AI/ML techniques to engineering workflows, such as building or integrating intelligent automation, optimization models, or data-driven decision support tools • Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities • Strong communication and coordination skills for interfacing with customers, engineering teams, and operations personnel

  Base Pay Range for: VA applicants is $156,802.00 - $219,522.45
WA 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

Similar jobs

• Senior Mission Operations Engineer – TeraWave — Blue Origin · Reston, VA | Greater Seattle Area
• Senior Electronics System Engineer - TeraWave — Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area
• Senior Software Engineer - TeraWave — Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area
• Sr. Ground Systems Engineer - TeraWave — Blue Origin · Reston, VA | Greater Seattle Area
• Ground Software Architect - TeraWave — Blue Origin · Reston, VA | Greater Seattle Area
• Senior Thermal Engineer - TeraWave — Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area
• Principal Technical Program Manager - TeraWave Network Software — Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area | Bay Area, CA
• Sr. Electrical Engineer, RF Payloads - TeraWave — Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area | Bay Area, CA