Senior System Architect - Optical Communications - TeraWave

Overview

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!

This role is part of Tera Wave, a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This network will service tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations.

The Emerging Systems business unit at Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with Tera Wave, 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 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.

Senior System Architect, next-generation optical communications program. You will define the end-to-end technical vision for a system designed to set new standards in space-based connectivity. You will own the architecture of a high-performance Optical Communications system, translating ambitious mission objectives into a resilient, high-performance system ready for the space environment. You will be responsible for architecting large aperture optical communications terminals, balancing link margin, pointing precision, optical performance, and manufacturing cost under challenging constraints.

The architecture and trades you lead will form the technical foundation of the program, enabling the team to achieve critical design and performance milestones.

• Architecture & System Trades:
  Establish the end-to-end mission architecture, including wavelength selection, link geometry, autonomy and redundancy strategies, and initial allocations for SWaP-T. Drive system-level trades for the terminal's aperture, balancing link margin, pointing accuracy, throughput, structural stiffness, and thermal management. Flow down performance budgets to all subsystems (Optics, PAT, Modem, Electronics) with ICDs and calibration strategies. Integrate STOP analysis into system budgets and define acceptance criteria for hardware verification and vendor SOWs.
  
  Support operations and manufacturing teams for high-volume production.
• Pointing, Acquisition & Tracking (PAT):
  Define the PAT concept of operations and control architecture, including filters, acquisition scan patterns, and beacon strategies. Model, simulate, and allocate budgets for capture probability, acquisition timelines, residual jitter, and pointing loss to ensure link closure. Develop a validation strategy for PAT algorithms from simulation to advanced mirror materials.
• Modem & Electronics:
  Define the modem and other electronic systems development plan. Ensure deterministic latency, fault tolerance, and resilience to radiation and other space environmental effects across all digital interfaces.
• Systems Engineering &
  
  Risk Management:
  
  Author and manage core systems engineering documents (ICDs, requirements flow-down, verification and validation plans). Identify technical risks and maintain parallel risk-mitigation paths. Lead architecture reviews, present trade studies to stakeholders, and serve as the primary technical authority for the system design.
• Rapid Prototyping & Iterative Development:
  Lead rapid prototyping across hardware, electronics, and software to validate design concepts early, establish agile development processes, and maintain rigorous documentation. Create feedback loops between prototype testing and system design, coordinating cross-functional teams to test full-scale prototypes that align with requirements and enable continuous refinement of the architecture.

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or a related field with 7+ years of relevant experience (M.S./Ph.D. preferred).
• End-to-end system design experience in high-throughput optical communications (free-space or fiber).
• Mastery of optical link budget analysis, including pointing loss, atmospheric/diffraction effects, jitter coupling, and capture probability modeling.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and analyzing control systems (e.g., filters, scan strategies, beacon processing).
• Familiar with FPGA/ASIC architectures, including Ser Des interfaces, deterministic memory/DMA design, and high-speed data path considerations (FEC, framing, synchronization).
• Proven systems engineering rigor in authoring ICDs, decomposing requirements, and developing verification plans for complex spaceflight or aerospace systems.
• Experience with…